Phil

Personal interest in defence, risk & military history. Views strictly my own: likes & RT ≠ endorsement. I occasionally write blogs on defence issues.

[Phil @BO3673]

@rowlsmanthorpe Yes.

[Phil @BO3673]

@TheStoicSailor Bloody hell.

[Lucy Fisher @LOS_Fisher]

PM is expected to announce around £15bn extra for defence (to 2030) in DIP, a compromise option between the Treasury push for a maximum of £12bn and MoD push for a floor of £18bn

Plan is not yet finalised, but £15bn would fall far short of current £28bn MoD funding gap to 2030

[Phil @BO3673]

@brent_maz @cdrsalamander @thomasbsauer The LTC doesn’t look like that I’m afraid.

[Phil @BO3673]

What does HMT “taking control” look like?

[Lucy Fisher @LOS_Fisher]

EXC: Treasury is preparing to seize control from the MoD of spending on the GCAP multibillion-pound fighter jet programme, as part of DIP settlement

Turf grab is part of the final DIP wrangling, with PM set to unveil c. £15bn extra for military up til 2030, including c. £6bn for GCAP, in an announcement as soon as next week (with Thurs 11 June mooted as target date)

PM and Chx have a “fundamental disagreement” over GCAP, which Reeves fears could be “just the next HS2” - ie beset by spiralling costs, delivery delays and shrinking scope - acc to govt figure. (Person close to Reeves denies characterisation of disagreement with PM)

The Treasury bid to take control of GCAP spending is designed to help avoid repeat of past MoD debacles on equipment programmes

Officials are set to justify the move by pointing to complicated intl structure of GCAP, which UK is developing with Japan and Italy, and complexity of programme... but some govt insiders fear those same structures will make spending difficult to rein in

Comes ahead of Japanese PM’s planned visit to UK next week

w/ @sylviapfeifer & @Urbandirt

https://t.co/5yRWSJiTBX

[Phil @BO3673]

@CorbettAndy @ThresherKing I was hoping we were getting the Maldives.

[Phil @BO3673]

Seeing what Shashank has to deal with in the replies makes me wonder why any professional bothers with this place.

[Shashank Joshi @shashj]

A serving US Army officer, working in Hegseth’s office, posting racial slurs & describing journalists as “civilisation destroyers”. Doing all of it anonymously. A good indication of the ethos of the Pentagon in this moment.

[Phil @BO3673]

@socialvictim @infantrydort Racism and naked abuse are fine?

[Phil @BO3673]

@SavonAnkka @Anglo_Japan45 Yes his little rats have followed him. A good bit of fun with them who all prove the point.

[Phil @BO3673]

Pretty clear where this is going now. If it appears at all. A mess.

[Larisa Brown @larisamlbrown]

Exclusive with @Steven_Swinford Starmer is considering watering down plans to boost defence spending by £18 billion over concerns that they are unaffordable amid warnings from US official against such a move
https://t.co/aEj2pPPcFr

[Tony Osborne @Rotorfocus]

The Marine Corps' @BoeingDefense/@BAESystemsAir AV-8 #Harrier fleet has been finally retired, leaving the Italian and Spanish navies as the last bastions for this magnificent aircraft and brilliant British invention.

[Phil @BO3673]

@domhauschild Royal Navy.

[Phil @BO3673]

Helpful summary. I’d take the £28bn black hole with a pinch of salt tho - every public sector organisation has a funding gap between its theoretical annual ambition and the ££ it stands to get: this is because the former is limitless and the latter is rather not.

[Richard Thomas @RWJThomas]

Army Technology has analysed the possible outcomes of the @DefenceHQ Defence Investment Plan based on full, partial, and reduced funding scenarios. How do you think it's going to turn out?

https://t.co/cYL17agnIH

[Phil @BO3673]

@sdb_on_x @infantrydort Go and read the replies mate. I said “replies” in my OP. lol

[Phil @BO3673]

@ThresherKing Okay mate. 👍

[Phil @BO3673]

@DavidBe31099196 I was referring to the racist and nakedly abusive comments in the replies. Disagreements even acrimonious ones are all fair game.

[Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTom]

An officer and a gentleman

[Benjamin Duchek @benduchek]

Shashank is perhaps the most astute guy working in natsec journalism right now, and Dort pulling his ignorance routine is not a great look for the Army officer corps.

I don’t think this stuff matters as a 2LT but I would not want to serve with buffoons like Dort at the field grade and higher level.

[Phil @BO3673]

@DavidBe31099196 He says racist and abusive things to people? Like those in reply to his OP? Do you have any evidence for that?

[Phil @BO3673]

@eltonalikaj @infantrydort You write like a snowflake.

[Phil @BO3673]

@Factoiddd 🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱 you melt