Editorial: The best defence

DEFENCE spending has been one of the key issues during the British election campaign but is Britain´s military in such a poor state?Well, we will soon have a golden opportunity to see one of Britain´s latest warships which will be docking in Palma over the coming weeks. The vessel in question cost more than one billion pounds and is considered to be one of the most lethal warships ever built for the Navy. And the Royal Navy has a half a dozen of them. The former British naval attache at the British Embassy in Madrid, Commodore Frederick Price  said that the two new aircraft carriers which are presently being built in Scotland will not be able to visit Palma because they are too big. So, if the Queen Elizabeth or her sister ship Prince of Wales ever drop anchor in Palma it will be out in the Bay because the Puerto Palma can´t handle them. So while the Royal Navy may be smaller it can still pack a considerable punch.  Money has been spent on defence in Britain over the years, the Royal Air Force has new aircraft and the Royal Navy has new destroyers, submarines and of course the aircraft carriers. But should defence spending be cut again in Britain? Well, if money needs to be saved then defence is always an obvious target.  Unfortunately, these days the best kit in the world costs billions. There is probably room for some defence cuts by the new government or they could save money and forget the present trend which says that all Navy ships have to be built in Britain. It will be far cheaper to build them abroad. This makes sense for the Navy but politically it would be a nightmare.