Another General – the next Chief of Defence Staff, to replace the retiring General Sir David Richards will be the "Whitehall warrior", General Sir Nick Houghton, the present Vice Chief of Defence Staff, who will now have a three year stint at the top.     Sir David Richards it is said to have declined Downing Street's invitation to stay.

General Sir Nick Houghton (58) will therefore play a pivotal role in equipment issues such as whether the soon to be cut again cut defence budget can afford the see the two Aircraft Carriers being built made operational and quite how many Joint Strike Fighters it can afford to put on them.  Other changes include:-

·         Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, (a former fighter pilot) becomes Vice Chief of Defence Staff

·         Admiral Sir George Zambellas, will succeed Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope as First Sea Lord (April 2013)

·         Air Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford, (a former helicopter pilot) will succeed Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton as Head of the RAF (July 2013).

·         Lieutenant General Nick Carter, who is currently serving as the Deputy Commander of NATO lead forces in Afghanistan is expected to be the new Head of the Army

So that is all right then – the Aircraft Carriers are safe ?