If You Want To Buy A Warship - Forget Ebay

If you ever want to buy a warship, or kit yourself out head to toe in genuine military equipment forget eBay. There is a new player in town, the British Government or The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Disposal Services Agency to be precise.

They have now launched a new web site at www.edisposals.com, which offers a wide range surplus and ex-government military equipment at knock-down prices. This has got to be a good source of supply for onward sellers and I suspect many items purchased from this site will find there way onto eBay. However, if you are interested you now have the option of purchasing from the source from source, the MOD.

Among the items currently on offer you will find aircraft, ships, and strangely enough an 8 man Cambridge rowing boat. You can also buy IT, medical and dental equipment as well as items of memorabilia. If it is clothing you are after and camouflage green is your colour there is a huge range including “his and hers” combat clothing. If you are concerned about your personal security how about an armour plated Land Rover Discovery or an ex police motorcycle or a Quad bike.

"The DSA recognises that with more and more transactions being carried out online, we must adapt our approach in order to maximise the return to the Ministry of Defence and to the taxpayer," said DSA spokesman Les Taylor.

He added that the site is likely to appeal to specialist collectors, scrap metal merchants, adventure training companies and scout groups. And I would think eBay resellers.

Although you could kit out your own military force you will not be able to arm it because the site does not offer any arms or ammunition and certain of the more sensitive items on offer can only be sold to registered buyers.

Traditionally the MOD has sold its Government surplus at specialist auctions in various parts of the UK. I suspect that if this new web site proves successful then we can expect to see the scope and range of this site to increase in size and range. No doubt other Government departments will be looking at this option with interest.