The MoD has today confirmes that British arms manufacturer BAE Systems has lost out to the American company General Dynamics in the race to secure the $6billion contract for the next generation of light tank for the British Army.The initial order will be for around 600 of the so-called Specialist Vehicles with oders for more likely at a later stage.
Although the contract is going to an American company the MoD has gone to great lengths to claim that the vehicles will be assembled in the UK. Yeah, well we've heard that before. General Dynamics will doubtless start repatriating jobs when the going gets tough back home.
This deal is another example of Britain losing expertise, particularly R&D, to foreign companies; once these skills and the manufacturing base are lost, they will never return. Every sell-out to a foreign country digs away at our ability to act independently. We've seen how hostile the current US administration is to the UK when Hilary Clinton joined forces with Argentina saying that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is negotiable. With the extra control the US will now have over the Army's tank fleet, they may make negotiation the only option.
I wonder how much the lobbyists and their labour party stooges get for securing a $6billion contract. I image that would have been a very expensive cab.
MoD: New contract for more armoured fighting vehicles
BBC: General Dynamics beats BAE to win UK tank-making deal
The Mail: Government accused of 'cover-up' over 'cash for access' scandal after No 10 refuses to launch investigation
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