David Cameron Announces Billions of Pounds for New Defense Equipment


11/23/2015



During his confirmation of the Strategic Defence and Security Review for the parliamentary term British Prime Minister David Cameron announced an additional £12bn in defence equipment spending and two new 5,000-strong "strike brigades" on Monday afternoon.
 
The announcement was made after a visit of Cameron to Paris and after his meeting with French president Francois Hollande, about regional security following the 13 November attacks in the French capital.
 
Cameron announced the formation of two 5,000-strong “strike brigades” – to be sourced from within existing Army ranks. This would be set up  for rapid deployment across the globe using the new Ajax armoured vehicles. UK would also buy nine new Boeing P8 aircraft to be used for maritime patrol which would be replace the planned Nimrod aircraft purchase scrapped in 2010.Extension of the lifespan of the Typhoon jets were also announced taking the life span of he aircraft to 2040.
 
Development of a new type of frigate, announced by Cameron would take place and would be used by the Navy and could also be exported to other nations.
 
There were fears that Cameron would be forced to announce cuts to administrative and backroom staff to fund the extra spending. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union had said it would strongly oppose any cuts.
 
Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in the Commons that he supports increased expenditure to protect security services. 
 
"There's no contradiction between working for peace across the world, and doing what is necessary to keep us safe at home", he said.
 
The earlier 2010’s SDSR has seen a cut of about 8% in funding. The BBC reported that the cut had resulted in thousands of job cuts as were the Harrier jump jets, the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Ark Royal and the planned Nimrod replacement aircraft.
 
David Cameron also confirmed a Commons statement on the strategy for destroying the so-called Islamic State would come on Thursday.
 
In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, David Cameron has given strong backing to the French president François Hollande’s global quest to eradicate the Islamic State offering the use of Britain’s RAF base on Cyprus from which to launch airstrikes against the militant group in Syria.
 
Reiterating that he still intended to persuade the UK parliament to back airstrikes against Isis targets in Syria, Cameron said: “we must also do more to defeat Isil in their heartlands in Syria and Iraq. I firmly support the action President Hollande has taken to strike Isil in Syria and it is my firm conviction that Britain should do so too.”
 
Earlier this week, Cameron and Hollande held talks at the Élysée Palace over how Britain could support what Hollande has deemed France’s mission to “eradicate” terrorism and crush Isis after Cameron accompanied Hollande to place a white rose outside the Bataclan concert hall in Paris.
 
The sole aircraft carrier of France, the Charles de Gaulle, getting into position on Monday in preparation for intensified airstrikes on Isis targets in Syria, Hollande said.
 
 “We will intensify our strikes, choosing targets that will do the most damage possible to this army of terrorists,” he said.
 
(Source:www.digitallook.com)