Extracts from Lords
debate on UK Defence Forces
Lord
(CB):...Fortuitously, since the 1982 Falklands conflict,
when six high-value ships were sunk and others crippled, aircraft
brought down, and hundreds killed or wounded by a small and far
from Premier League air force operating at extreme range from its
bases, our expeditionary operations have enjoyed unrivalled air
superiority in all subsequent conflicts. There is thus a danger
in concluding that, like rebooting some virtual digital game, the
next conflict will again be fought in a benign air situation.
That is far too complacent a view.
What, then? Our air forces would face losses in conflict;
surface, and sub-surface forces too, might become vulnerable to
loss if we could not provide mastery of the air. Unit losses
counted on the fingers of one hand, let alone on the scale of
those we suffered in three short weeks of combat in the
Falklands, would amount to significant percentage setbacks to
available strengths. Even small daily rates of loss could not be
sustained...
(Lab):
My Lords, if Ministers get defence wrong the nation will never
forgive them, and the costs in blood and treasure are enormous.
It was discovered that the decision to remove HMS “Endurance”
from her role in the south Atlantic in the 1981 defence review
was the trigger for Galtieri’s invasion of the Falklands, with a
final cost to our nation of almost 300 British lives and £6
billion.
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Extracts from
Westminster Hall debate on the Air Force (Constitution) Act
1917
(Dunfermline and West
Fife) (SNP):...The RAF has been on active service
in, for example, the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq and has
supported our ground troops. The level of support that we have
had over the years has been second to none during all those
campaigns. Through its expertise, the RAF has protected the lives
of many of our troops. We can also celebrate the innumerable
instances in which the RAF has provided humanitarian support in
areas throughout the world under threat of famine or flood...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood):...Let us not forget what
happened in 1982, in the Falklands campaign. Many of us of
that age, understanding what was going on in the world, can still
see those incredible pictures now of the Vulcan going down there,
punching holes in the runways, and then the fantastic flotilla
being able to go down. Against the odds, but because of our
professionalism and the combined effort from air, sea and land,
we were able not only to liberate the Falklands but
to continue to defend them. That, I believe, sent a message
across the world that, when we were required to do so, we would
protect ourselves and our sovereign territory—and, in that case,
the Islanders’ right to govern...
(Witney)
(Con):...My hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Kevin
Foster) mentioned the whole RAF family; we must not forget the
dedication and duty not only of those who serve but of their
families as well. That is particularly important today as we look
at the whole force concept, which is not necessarily only about
people in uniform who are serving but is much wider. He also
mentioned the recent visit of a Voyager to Argentina for the
first time since the Falklands war, which, of course,
flew from Brize Norton in my constituency...
...I am grateful to the Minister for dealing with a large number
of very important things, including the importance of STEM,
humanitarian input—not only in Argentina but with the recent
hurricane relief, which, again, came from Brize Norton in my
constituency—and the professionalism and dedication shown in the
battle of Britain, with the incredible disparity in numbers,
which was displayed then and always has been since. It was also
shown in the Vulcan raids on the Falklands—the Operation Black Buck raids,
which were the longest-ranged bombing raids in history. That
incredible professionalism is on display today as it was in the
1980s and the 1940s...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
