British Troops Swapping Gas for Batteries: A Dazzling Budget Dilemma
When the Telegraph spotted the military pencilling in miles of electric adventure for next year at Bovington Garrison, dredging up word about the Bank’s flashy fund for future silver‑slicked tanks.
Funding the Future – The £400k Cartwheel
Defence Secretary John Healey has tipped over £400,000 to Magtec, a defence outfit pre‑occupied with building electric armour. Before the money hit the bank, Healey took a field trip in October to Magtec’s South Yorkshire factory and was so jazzed with their “creative flair to improve battlefield and environmental performance” that his pocketbook got a brand‑new battery.
Labour’s Low‑Battery Coughed
- Concerned that the switch could actually leave soldiers behind the lines – Imagine being stuck behind a platoon of drones on a desolate road.
- Soldiers in command circles, like former Afghan commander Colonel Richard Kemp, call it “virtue signalling” and fear it’s a power‑boot to the war‑machine that will drain troops of the very fuel they need.
- Admiral Lord West of Spithead says the priority should be “winning in the trenches, not hitting carbon zero.” He’s worried that Mars‑level ambitions could be a distraction from the armoury that actually keeps the world winter‑free.
The Drone‑Diary: Politicians, Soldiers, and the Future of the Tank
Sources from the Ministry of Defence whisper that tomorrow’s war machine may be built on a technology stack that is “just not there yet”, citing the operability of batteries as “as effervescent as a water‑gun on a hot day.”
“The rapid advancement of electric vehicle technology has opened up new possibilities for military applications,” an official said. “Trials are set for 2025. The hope is ev’s will match or even exceed conventional vehicle performance.” So, if you’re thinking “Hey, a hovercar in the 2040s?” the Gee’s all abloom.
Humour aside, the bigquestion remains: Will electric races for guns pull the plug on the real escalating threats that are looming? Until the batteries survive a full field‑test, it looks like the mighty musketeers will keep fuelling again.
