IAS, I agree we have had enough and spent it unwisely at that, as we have nothing I can think of to show for it. But it is just like us to be brass necks and ask for more and if we can get away with why not. I agree we should be spending more of our own money on defence but as we all know that is not going to happen. It is great to look forward to six new helicopters, but six is not enough, they might have the combined lift of the 13 we currently have. We need to be realistic, with new roles within the UN and the ERF we need more of everything. And it is just like us brass neckers to say yeah, but you pay for it. Military spend in Europe is going through the roof, I see it everyday , I was stupid enough to answer the call come back to Ireland as the great the Celtic Tiger is here and I was even worse to stay when it went T*ts up. And in my industry it still is crap. It was only an idea, and I am sure it has been thought of or tried already.
Cheers Fouga, I do remember you crying and whinging yourself about the Dauphins. But then again retaining the 2 Naval Dauphins was only a small part of my post