Nationalisation

cells

kinger101 wrote: »

We don't know what war we'll fight next. If it were with a global superpower, then yes, steel works, docks, airfields, power stations etc could be rapidly taken out within a few days.

But the UK has been involved in many military conflicts post-1945. In fact, the UK has spent more years engaged in conflict the that at peace.

A UK steel industry wasn't necessary for these conflicts, but I don't think the future is certain enough to say we would never be at a military disadvantage without UK steel. Not an easy risk to assess.

only multi year wars would require the replenishment of war machines. Can a modern war last for years? I dont think so in which case what matters is your stock of weapons not your ability to manufacture more

kabayiri

cells wrote: »

this is nonsense steel will be part of the materials we use for thousands of years.

better quality materials do not replace lower quality materials unless everything about it is better including the economic cost

We still use stones, we still use wood, they did not go away when we invented iron and steel.

I don't think anyone is suggesting we stop using steel; more that is it profitable for us to produce steel.

It's about what we invest in to make us money in the future, and does that include materials production

cells

kinger101 wrote: »

True, but we'd likely have lost it to without the UK-based steel production as well.

modern war machines are not material heavy

probably the most important ones are air planes which have little to no steel in them and make use of aluminium and carbon fibre and other materials. or cruise missiles or intercontinental ballistic missiles again not all that much steel

Even if you think tanks would be important in a modern survival war a tank is about 60 tons.

A steel plant can output about 3 million tons or the equivalent of 50,000 tanks a year. The UK currently has about 250 tanks that it seems to think is sufficient. So even a single steel plant is overkill if you thought you needed steel to make tanks for a war then stockpile a few slabs of steel.