-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- Daily Mail, Monday, January 24th, 2000 "Humiliation" of the warships that can't leave port. By DAVID NORRIS GEOFF Hoon will face intense questioning today over the crisis in the Armed Forces. The Defence Secretary will come under fire over revelations about the operational state of the Royal Navy and the RAF. It has emerged that cash-strapped Navy chiefs have been ordering large numbers of warships to stay in port to cut down on fuel bills. This has resulted in 33 out of 44 of the service's main vessels being idle in recent months. Tory defence spokesman Iain Duncan Smith said yesterday of the cutbacks: 'Britannia used to rule the waves. 'It is a humiliation for the country that we cannot even afford the fuel to let our ships put to sea.' The RAF also has serious problems, according to figures obtained by Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Menzies Campbell. An acute shortage of pilots has meant many combat aircraft have had to be grounded. Only 53 out of a total 186 Tornado bombers are ready to fly immediately. Other key planes unable to take off instantly include Harriers, with only 34 out of 90 fully serviceable. Mr Menzies Campbell also found that of 76 Jaguar aircraft, just 28 were in a full state of readiness, and of 112 Tornado fighters only 59 were available for instant action. 'These figures are disturbing and there seems to be a fundamental and underlying problem that needs answering,' declared the defence spokesman, who is to table questions for Mr Hoon in Parliament. The latest embarrassment follows leaked reports revealing the disastrous effects of Labour penny-pinching on the Army. Drawn up by two senior officers, they show that had there been a ground war in Kosovo against the Serbs, our troops would have been sent into battle with guns that did not work and hopelessly out-dated communications equipment. The latest findings point to the malaise spreading to the other two services. In the case of the Navy, much of the fleet has had to stay at anchor due to the annual fuel budget being cut from £40million to £38million last year. The figure would have been even lower - £28.5million or 30 per cent down - had it not been for an extra £9.5million being allocated to cover the use of ships in the Adriatic during the Kosovo operation last year. One vessel, the frigate Westminster, had to be withdrawn from an international exercise because it could not afford the fuel to complete the mission. Over Christmas only three of Britain's 44 key warships were at sea on patrol. Navy antidrug running operations in the West Indies have had to be cancelled. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the Navy's resources were 'strained' but insisted the service could cope with any operational requirements. Since January 14, a total of 11 ships led by the aircraft carrier Illustrious had been at sea in the Gulf area, he said. By today the number of principal warships at sea would have risen to 24 out of the 44. The spokesman said RAF warplanes were not grounded, but undergoing maintenance at a time when demand for them was low. However, he confirmed there was a shortage of 'crack' fighter pilots. The retention of fast-jet pilots was 'a problem not just for the RAF but for armed forces across the world'. It is known that many trained 'top guns' are leaving the RAF to join civilian airlines, where the pay is much better. An RAF night lieutenant is paid £26,539 a year, while a co-pilot with a major airline could earn up to £50,000. ================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
