They probably need to disguise the true cost, otherwise parliament just wouldn't let them have anything. The government doesn't give a flying f**k about the military... even when they were brewing the war in Iraq there was desperate under funding. 3% of the UK's GDP isn't enough to maintain the military at a reasonable standard. For instance, when my dad was posted to Iraq in '03, he didn't have a pistol or body armour, he had to BORROW his flak jacket and weapon from someone else. The pistol only had 9 rounds in the mag, not even a ful load.
