Fullbore Friday

She has such a grand historical name. HMS Exeter.

In the Falkland Islands War she shot down two A-4, a recon Learjet, and a Canberra bomber with Sea Dart. Her last year has been spent in a shameful unarmed scam - but alas they will now let her go from the sound of it. What a great warrior for a modern ship.

HMS Exeter, used to shoot down Argentina Skyhawk jets in the Falkland War in 1982, sailed back to Portsmouth harbour last month, fuelling fears the Navy is suffering from defence budget cuts.

It has reportedly been downgraded to a "lower state of readiness" several months before it was due to be taken out of service.

Although the Ministry of Defence insists the Type 42 destroyer remains an important part of the fleet, there are fears the move demonstrates the fears over cuts in the defence budgets.

Last month a report by the UK National Defence Association said the Armed Forces were all "woefully under-funded" and the defence budget needs to be increased from the current £34 billion to £50 billion over the next three years.

Defence funding has hit the lowest level since the Thirties with no increase expected despite worsening world events.

The 1998 Strategic Defence Review specified a requirement of 32 frigates and destroyers. Today, there are 25 and the planned withdrawal of HMS Exeter and HMS Southampton next year will reduce it to 23.

Although the Type 42s will eventually be replaced by the more capable Type 45s, the current shipbuilding plans include only six 45s, down from an original number of 12.

Admiral Lord Boyce, former chief of defence staff, said: "Defence as a whole is desperately inadequately funded for the task the armed forces are required to do and have been required to do for the last five [or] six years.

"We are falling very short, in naval terms, of meeting up to the boast of being a first class power."

Saying farewell to a warrior - and a symbol of the welfare state losing the desire and ability to defend itself. Sadly, it looks like we know where Baghdad Bob now works.

The MoD said: "The Royal Navy is meeting its global operational commitments with ships deployed across the world on a variety of tasks... The Royal Navy remains one of the world's most powerful maritime forces."

An angry FbF this week? Yep. Watching what the Labour party has done to her military from health care to running around in unarmored Land Rovers in 2008 to destroying her Fleet - yea, it makes me angry. Like watching a dear friend lose herself in meth.