chrisj1968 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ministry-defence-wastes-500k-over-ordering-2067701 They face having to negotiate with suppliers to sell the excess back ? the bullets are worthless once they pass their sell-by date Defence chiefs have wasted half a million pounds on bullets that may never be fired. They are accused of shooting themselves in the foot by buying about four million rounds of ammunition for the war in Afghanistan next year. That?s likely to be TWICE as many as needed as our forces gradually hand over security to the Afghans. The drawdown also means a decrease in rounds used in training. The spending blunder was revealed on the MoD?s website ? as it told how it was trying to make SAVINGS through careful storage and management. It says: ?The need to buy more bullets has reduced for 2013 ? the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan means that orders for the next tour are down by 50%.? But the website goes on to admit that there are ?committed purchases in the system based on previous estimates?. It has been widely known for some time that the 8,000 British troops serving in Afghanistan will reduce to around 5,000 in various stages by the end of this year. But the MoD failed to tell its general munitions office how the change would effect the ammo requirement. Now they face having to negotiate with suppliers to sell the excess back ? because the bullets are worthless once they have passed their sell-by date. Four million was the amount used by British troops each year at the height of the fight against the Taliban between 2006 and 2009. Then, 9,500 of our armed forces were reporting up to 30 firefights or TICs ? ?troops in contact? ? every day. At 22p a shot, if they were using 5.56 calibre bullets for a standard SA80 rifle, that would work out at around ?880,000. But special bullets for sniper rifles and large calibre machine guns are far more expensive ? closer to ?1 each. Firefights have cost the military so much they have even had to recycle 400 tonnes of brass ammo casings salvaged from battle sites. But the move is unlikely to recoup the over-spending on bullets, even if suppliers agree to buy them back. The MoD hit back in a statement: "No-one would want our troops to run out of ammunition whilst on operations and it?s wrong to suggest that the MoD has been wasteful ? you?d rather have more bullets than not enough. Any surplus ammunition will be used in due course." Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook Seems as though the UK is possibly going by the same playbook as in the US Article : http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphbenko/2013/03/11/1-6-billion-rounds-of-ammo-for-homeland-security-its-time-for-a-national-conversation/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-T- Member Posted July 20, 2013 Member Share Posted July 20, 2013 Bulltets have a sell by date? Elliot B. and Tigurinn 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisj1968 Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 Bulltets have a sell by date? does the UK have hunting rules? I suppose those out in the country can hunt? or is hunting banned all together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Ramping up for Syria https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1165545-top-generals-on-syria-us-force-considered-britain-must-prepare/?view=getnewpost Dick Montage 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisj1968 Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 DocM, last I heard, the UK decided to back out of supporting Syrian rebels. I heard that.. but I haven't seen any articles on it yet. but it may still be on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I think it depends on the situation. If a civilian massacre starts the balloon goes up and it's on under the Rice/Clinton "Duty to Protect" doctrine used to justify Libya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torolol Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 bullet can expires, if the military decided to change their weaponry and adopt new weaponry that incompatible with existing bullets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Unliky since NATO forces use a set of standard rounds so weaponry changes have little effect on stores, for infantry mainly 5.56mm NATO (a variant of the .223 Remington) and 7.62mm NATO (a variant of the .308 Winchester). Both of these base ammos are standard hunting rounds. Some smaller production rounds are used by snipers, especially the .50 BMG and .338 Lapua, but they're easy enough to get. Stored properly ammo can last decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 UK better start a war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necroxd Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Unliky since NATO forces use a set of standard rounds so weaponry changes have little effect on stores, for infantry mainly 5.56mm NATO (a variant of the .223 Remington) and 7.62mm NATO (a variant of the .308 Winchester). Both of these base ammos are standard hunting rounds. Some smaller production rounds are used by snipers, especially the .50 BMG and .338 Lapua, but they're easy enough to get. Stored properly ammo can last decades. treat a stack a bullets like you would a fancy cigar. Keep the moisture out and keep it at room temperature in a dry place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blerk Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Unliky since NATO forces use a set of standard rounds so weaponry changes have little effect on stores, for infantry mainly 5.56mm NATO (a variant of the .223 Remington) and 7.62mm NATO (a variant of the .308 Winchester). Both of these base ammos are standard hunting rounds. Some smaller production rounds are used by snipers, especially the .50 BMG and .338 Lapua, but they're easy enough to get. Stored properly ammo can last decades. Why would you store them? Much better to give them to me so that I can cheaply and efficiently dispose of them. Best of all, I won't charge them anything (other than shipping costs and the addition of a few guns to fire it all with) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 How are they wasted? Bullets will always be needed. Even during Peace for training purposes. theyarecomingforyou and Dick Montage 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 ^^ precisely. As an individual I go through 600-1,000 rounds a month at the range, as do my family members. Now imagine all the govt. agencies, the military etc. and all the training they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadEndAccount Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I think people are ignoring the fact that this could be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wasteful spending particularly in a time when in the UK that social services are being cut or scaled back yet there is more than enough money to spend on pet projects that politicians apparently deem as 'necessary' for the 'protection of the realm'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I think people are ignoring the fact that this could be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wasteful spending particularly in a time when in the UK that social services are being cut or scaled back yet there is more than enough money to spend on pet projects that politicians apparently deem as 'necessary' for the 'protection of the realm'. Well, ?500k would pay 19 people with my wage for a year, so it's not exactly a lot of cash. I can tell you how much each Desktop PC at my Base costs, now that'd shock you. We pay ?600 for each desktop computer which costs around ?300 off the shelf. Each machine costs ?400 "maintenance fees" per month. Given theres around 2,000 computers in my Station, you can see how that adds up. This contract affects the entire MOD too, so each Air Force, Army and Naval station will be paying these figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Yup, bullets are relatively cheap as govt. procurement items go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Poster Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 does the UK have hunting rules? I suppose those out in the country can hunt? or is hunting banned all together? hunting is fine... but depends on the rounds they ordered seeing as we are english the guns are most likely IW-80-A2 which will be the most purchased round out of the mass... in the uk we can own shotguns and rifles, no hand guns unless extended barrels (to avoid concealment) and no assault rifles ...basically they need to be able to see you coming and you not have enough time to kill more then 5 people before they can get away lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illage3 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Ladies and gentlemen this is what your paying Tax for. A government who is willing to block porn on the internet, but yet is willing to waste ?500k on ammo that will likely not be used. *slow clap* our government has gone daft. I thought we beat germany in world war 2 so we wouldn't live in a dicatorship. Looks Like I was wrong. Hum 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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