How the UK MIC Gets By
We were in the Cairngorms recently, soaking up the stillness, when a low-flying fighter jet tore across the sky like it had a personal vendetta against peace and quiet.
My heart did something between a backflip and a panic attack.
And I had to ask: Are the Scots subjected to this all the time?
Apparently, yes. The Highlands are one of the UK military’s favourite playgrounds. Vast, remote and politically compliant, they’re used for training exercises, test flights, and the occasional military fanfare dressed up as “security.” And no one really questions it, because we’ve all been trained to clap for the troops and shut up about the noise.
But that jet got me thinking. Why does the UK even need warplanes?
Let’s get one thing straight: nobody is coming to bomb Britain.
Not like the Luftwaffe did. Not now, not with today’s tech. If the UK was attacked, it would come through cyberwarfare, long-range missiles or economic sabotage. Your shiny F-35 isn’t going to intercept a spreadsheet or stop a ransomware hack.
So what are the planes for?
They’re not defensive. They’re offensive.
UK warplanes are rarely used to protect British airspace. They’re used to project power overseas. Think Libya. Think Syria. Think Iraq (again).
They don’t protect. They attack.
Meanwhile, the UK keeps spending billions on aircraft they don’t need for wars they don’t fight, to defend against enemies that don’t exist.
Some still insist it’s vital to keep the Royal Air Force at the ready.
But looking at the waste, the fanfare, and the noise without substance – it starts to feel a lot more like the Royal Air Farce. A theatrical display of might with no clear mission, no real threat, and no accountability.
Let’s talk numbers:
- F-35 fighter jets: £150 million a pop. Almost no combat use. But they look great in a flypast.
- Typhoon upgrades: Endless. Still mostly used for NATO exercises.
- Aircraft carriers: £6.4 billion each, plus a billion a year to run them.
- Ajax vehicles: £5.5 billion spent. Unusable due to vibrations. Gave soldiers hearing damage.
The list goes on. It’s like Dragon’s Den for sociopaths.
The Scam, Explained
- Invent a Threat: Russia! China! Iran! Some guy in a cave with a modem!
- Justify the Spend: “National security” is the blank cheque phrase of choice.
- Build Obsolete Kit: By the time it’s delivered, it’s already outdated.
- Avoid Use: Equipment is either too precious or too crap to use in real combat.
- Repeat: Declare new threats. Start new procurement. Keep the money flowing.
It’s not defence. It’s The Drain Game. A perfect storm of fear-mongering, PR, and profiteering.
The UK military-industrial complex (MIC for short (and shady)) doesn’t survive by fighting wars. It survives by preparing for wars that never happen.
That’s the business model.
The Real Impact?
Public money is sucked into black-budget holes. Schools crumble. The NHS limps. Food banks overflow. But the jets still scream across Scottish skies.
Nobody votes for that directly. But it’s what we keep getting.
And if you dare to question it? You’re accused of not supporting “our brave lads.”
But let’s be honest: supporting any troops – if you have to have them – should also mean questioning the bastards who keep wasting their time, risking their health and handing them crap kit that doesn’t work.
So what’s the plane truth?
The UK doesn’t need warplanes. Not like this. Not in these numbers. Not for this cost.
It needs housing. Healthcare. Energy security. Climate resilience. Cyber defence. Diplomacy. Infrastructure.
But you can’t fly those over a crowd.
And that’s how the UK MIC gets by:
On the fly.
Domesticky 
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