The Times article
The Times 28 Sep 11
"The Ministry of Defence was seeking a new commander last night to take charge of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia after a personality clash left the post in Riyadh unexpectedly vacant.
The premature departure of Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell, a crucial figure in overseeing military contracts with the kingdom, emerged as BAE Systems confirmed that it was cutting almost 3,000 jobs across Britain, mainly in its military aircraft division.
The MoD declined to comment on “internal staff moves” but The Times understands that the decision to remove its two-star commander only seven months into his posting followed unofficial exchanges between Saudi Arabia and the ministry. A defence source said there was no specific incident, just a “major personality clash at several meetings”.
As the head of a 100-strong team, Air Vice-Marshal Bell was one of the main military liaisons between Britain and Saudi Arabia, overseeing weapons contracts as well as promoting future business.
In an interview on BAE System’s intranet earlier this year he said: “I am joining . . . MoD Saudi Arabian Project at a very exciting time — as the Typhoon aircraft becomes a major part of the Royal Saudi Air Force fleet of fixed wing aircraft. Through continued close co-operation and teamwork, we must do all we can to ensure that the RSAF maintains high levels of operational effectiveness.”
BAE Systems, Britain’s biggest defence company, meanwhile was coming under pressure from unions and politicians over its handling of the mass job cuts, which leaked to the media over the past three days.
Ian King, its chief executive, said: “Our customers are facing huge pressures on their defence budgets and affordability has become an increasing priority. Our business needs to rise to this challenge to maintain its competitiveness and ensure its long-term future.”
The biggest job losses will be at sites at Brough in East Yorkshire and in Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, although staff will also go at the company’s head office in Hampshire and elsewhere across the country. Workers spoke of being in shock, and many said that they were already looking for new jobs.
A slowdown in orders for the Eurofighter Typhoon and new generation F35 joint strike fighter was part of the reason behind the job cuts as BAE Systems tried to reduce costs and remain competitive.
The Government said that everything would be done to help those affected, but Ed Miliband, speaking at the Labour Party conference, said that the company had been “sold down the river” by the coalition, which has slashed defence spending.
Sounding a renewed warning about the impact of swingeing cuts across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF, a group of five retired commanders, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon and General Sir Michael Rose, urged David Cameron to increase the defence budget to 3 per cent of GDP from 2 per cent at present.
“Nearly 20 years of substantial cuts to Britain’s Armed Forces . . . have reduced all three Services to less than half strength,” they wrote in a report for the UK National Defence Association. Further, last October the coalition in a rushed, cost-driven Strategic Defence and Security Review and on the basis of a flawed National Security Strategy imposed further substantial cuts. This hugely damaging and dangerous process is continuing with yet further major cuts in the pipeline.”
A failure to fund defence sufficiently had already left Britain exposed on a number of fronts, including the Falklands, they said, noting that oil from the islands could be on line by 2020, increasing the potential for another Argentine land grab. “Our assessment is that current force levels are inadequate to hold off even a small-size invasion,” the report said.
Air Vice-Marshal Bell joined the RAF in 1980, becoming a Harrier fast jet pilot. He has served in Sarajevo, Germany, Afghanistan and the Middle East. In August 2008 he was appointed head of capability (theatre airspace) at the MoD with direct responsibility for Typhoon, Hawk and advanced air-to-air weapons. It is understood that he will take up another military posting."