Quote:
Originally Posted by Brigade Piron
Personally - and I know I am not qualified to comment on this - I'm glad British soldiers are not given any old crap, just because it is produced in the UK... That would be very bad logic indeed. Snatch Land Rover anyone?
I'd also remind you that there's nothing new about it either. The SLR was Belgian in patent, and I imagine FN made a packet out of it, even if it was assembled in the UK. The same could be said of many other pieces of kit, right back to the US lend-lease tanks of WWII and beyond.
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I am not suggesting that the British Armed forces should be given 'any old crap just because it is produced in the UK'. The finest Armed Forces in the world bar none deserve the best. I understand that snatch Land Rover was basically a good vehicle but deployed in the wrong environment. My underlying gripe is that we have millions unemployed and many more under employed here in UK. Paying people who are out of work, not through their own fault, and giving contracts to Johnny foreigner is the bad logic. More r and d in industry and a suitably trained workforce is the answer, so that we can produce kit for our own forces without having to rely on outsiders.
Lend-lease is a red herring, this was needed when our US allies had the opportunity to help us in time of a world war when UK was at full stretch to produce its own. I regret that we are now a nation of retail outlets and coffee shops, all selling, in the main imported junk from abroad. A late note. I have just heard about 800 jobs lost at Honda in Swindon.
