UK Strategic Defence Review 2020 - get your bids in now ladies & gents
Thread Starter
Thanks ORAC - that's a very interesting link - some highlights.....
Its unclear yet where the money will come from to support this extra spending. There seem to be several options, which include is it genuinely entirely new money, added without preconditions to the budget to help MOD out of a difficult financial position. If so, then this is a remarkably generous settlement. Alternatively, does the package involve bring forward of money from other sources
This funding is welcome, and it will make a difference, but it is not going to fund a future force of lots of new fun toys The MOD equipment plan is already significantly over budget (potentially about £13-15bn over budget) and its getting worse
We do need to be clear though – not all programmes are going to survive.
Trying something new is really what this is all about – its about creating the headroom in MOD to have the space to really change and embrace new technology. By freeing up funds now, they can be used to try out new kit, to trial it, to develop concepts of operations and to put the right policies and procedures in place to use them properly.
This is really exciting stuff – its hard not to get excited by the possibilities on offer if the military get this right. They have the chance, the space and the funding to really refocus on what future operations will be like with this funding, and in the process make sure the armed forces remain fit for purpose.
The final key point to make is that Defence cannot fail. The Prime Minister has now invested significant personal and political capital in this outlay, and expects results
So, overall this is a good outcome – but it needs to be seen in context. This is not going to deliver the fantasy force of dreams. It will still result in painful cuts, and there are going to be difficult times ahead.
Its unclear yet where the money will come from to support this extra spending. There seem to be several options, which include is it genuinely entirely new money, added without preconditions to the budget to help MOD out of a difficult financial position. If so, then this is a remarkably generous settlement. Alternatively, does the package involve bring forward of money from other sources
This funding is welcome, and it will make a difference, but it is not going to fund a future force of lots of new fun toys The MOD equipment plan is already significantly over budget (potentially about £13-15bn over budget) and its getting worse
We do need to be clear though – not all programmes are going to survive.
Trying something new is really what this is all about – its about creating the headroom in MOD to have the space to really change and embrace new technology. By freeing up funds now, they can be used to try out new kit, to trial it, to develop concepts of operations and to put the right policies and procedures in place to use them properly.
This is really exciting stuff – its hard not to get excited by the possibilities on offer if the military get this right. They have the chance, the space and the funding to really refocus on what future operations will be like with this funding, and in the process make sure the armed forces remain fit for purpose.
The final key point to make is that Defence cannot fail. The Prime Minister has now invested significant personal and political capital in this outlay, and expects results
So, overall this is a good outcome – but it needs to be seen in context. This is not going to deliver the fantasy force of dreams. It will still result in painful cuts, and there are going to be difficult times ahead.
A small addition to the highlights above (my bold):
There is a clear message here – as Defence is always saying ‘with a bit more cash we could do the following’, it now has a chance to follow through on this.
While this may be painful to hear, the message is a simple one – don’t screw this up. Getting this wrong could have very painful long term consequences for Defence, and enrage a PM and Chancellor who have taken a lot of political risk to deliver this for the MOD.
While this may be painful to hear, the message is a simple one – don’t screw this up. Getting this wrong could have very painful long term consequences for Defence, and enrage a PM and Chancellor who have taken a lot of political risk to deliver this for the MOD.
I'm delighted that optimists still frequent this sector of PPRuNe. I thought that long experience would have dissuaded them.
Fact is that of course it will be screwed up, there is no program, no leader and no deliverables, just more money.
Fact is that of course it will be screwed up, there is no program, no leader and no deliverables, just more money.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...on-report-says
UK should tilt foreign policy to Indo-Pacific region, report says
Thr UK should make a major post-Brexit tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region, ploughing military, financial and diplomatic resources into building a major democratic counterweight to China’s growing threat to the post-1945 world order, a major report urges.
The report, prepared by a group of UK politicians for the right of centre thinktank Policy Exchange, and endorsed by the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, represents a key shift in UK foreign policy thinking.
The UK and the EU have agreed on the need for a new role for Britain dedicated to helping the countries of the Indo-Pacific area stand up to Beijing by upholding democracy, free trade supported by open seas and an uncensored internet.
The report is deliberately framed as an attempt to carve out “the essence of a manifesto of what a global Britain looks like in the 2020s and beyond”.
Requiring a major shift in resources – in part enabled by last week’s rise in defence spending and the summer merger of the UK’s foreign and aid budgets – the proposals would set the UK up as a country committed to challenging China’s authoritarian model. It proposes the Indo-Pacific countries commit to a 21st century charter for democracy akin to the Atlantic charter signed by the UK and the US in 1941.
In a region accounting for close to half of global economic output and more than half the world’s population, the report envisages the UK working closely with allies such as Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Overseen by Stephen Harper, the former Canadian prime minister, it will also receive support from the current Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison.......
As part of the tilt, the UK would apply for membership of the regional free trade partnership, seek to join the existing US, India, Australia and Japan security dialogue and enhance its military capacity in bases such as Diego Garcia.
“The UK government should expand the deployment of Royal Navy assets, RAF aircraft and Army (including Special Forces)/Royal Marines personnel to achieve uninterrupted, year-round UK military presence in the IPR (both on operational and training missions).”".........
In the case of Hong Kong, the report proposes that sanctions are now imposed on to Chinese Communist party officials for their role in the destruction of the territory’s sovereignty.
In a move that would further antagonise China, the report suggests the UK should start normalising relations with Taiwan, especially on global issues such as cyber security and health.
UK should tilt foreign policy to Indo-Pacific region, report says
Thr UK should make a major post-Brexit tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region, ploughing military, financial and diplomatic resources into building a major democratic counterweight to China’s growing threat to the post-1945 world order, a major report urges.
The report, prepared by a group of UK politicians for the right of centre thinktank Policy Exchange, and endorsed by the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, represents a key shift in UK foreign policy thinking.
The UK and the EU have agreed on the need for a new role for Britain dedicated to helping the countries of the Indo-Pacific area stand up to Beijing by upholding democracy, free trade supported by open seas and an uncensored internet.
The report is deliberately framed as an attempt to carve out “the essence of a manifesto of what a global Britain looks like in the 2020s and beyond”.
Requiring a major shift in resources – in part enabled by last week’s rise in defence spending and the summer merger of the UK’s foreign and aid budgets – the proposals would set the UK up as a country committed to challenging China’s authoritarian model. It proposes the Indo-Pacific countries commit to a 21st century charter for democracy akin to the Atlantic charter signed by the UK and the US in 1941.
In a region accounting for close to half of global economic output and more than half the world’s population, the report envisages the UK working closely with allies such as Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Overseen by Stephen Harper, the former Canadian prime minister, it will also receive support from the current Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison.......
As part of the tilt, the UK would apply for membership of the regional free trade partnership, seek to join the existing US, India, Australia and Japan security dialogue and enhance its military capacity in bases such as Diego Garcia.
“The UK government should expand the deployment of Royal Navy assets, RAF aircraft and Army (including Special Forces)/Royal Marines personnel to achieve uninterrupted, year-round UK military presence in the IPR (both on operational and training missions).”".........
In the case of Hong Kong, the report proposes that sanctions are now imposed on to Chinese Communist party officials for their role in the destruction of the territory’s sovereignty.
In a move that would further antagonise China, the report suggests the UK should start normalising relations with Taiwan, especially on global issues such as cyber security and health.
Thread Starter
I can't see that the Indo Pacific is more important than Europe & N Africa to British interests in the 21st Century
Asturias
Do you mean to tell me that the intelligence services and the government of Great Britain have not sought your opinion before stating their defense policy?
I am shocked. Shocked I tell you.
BV
I am shocked. Shocked I tell you.
BV
Thread Starter
I offered them a really cut rate deal to advise them (about half what they paid those PPE merchants) and they refused - said they could get all the advice they wanted for free from a well established, publicly available UK aviation website.......... I am sitting in my palazzo plotting revenge
Thread Starter
I see BoJo was asked yesterday would it be out in February - he replied that it wouldn't as that would be " a little bit premature"
Thread Starter
Thanks ORAC - that's looks like a horribly accurate forecast of the issues ................ It looks as if something BIG will have to go - "The MOD probably faces a somewhat schizophrenic few years ahead of it. On the one hand, it has got a very generous budget outcome, which will help fund major improvements to its capabilities and ambitions. On the other hand, it remains in a state of near perpetual crisis when it comes to realising in year budgets and will find itself constantly forced to make in year cuts that reduce activity, output and morale, in order to stay solvent.
The IR is an opportunity to reset the EP – by providing political top cover to delete multiple projects, remove significant costs from the EP and then use this new direction to fund ambition elsewhere. If done sensibly, then the opportunities over the next few years are huge. There is opportunity ahead – a balanced EP, with new capabilities like robotics, autonomous drones, cyber forces and North Atlantic Surveillance properly funded will be a game changer for so much of what Defence aspires to do. But to get there is going to require some painful defence cuts to find the space and headroom to make it happen. What is not clear is whether this is deliverable, or if the MOD will continue to exist in a state of financial challenge.
This challenge becomes even more considerable when put in the likely context of the post COVID world. With economic pain ahead, and more financial challenges likely, the MOD is probably not going to get a large budget boost anytime soon. Instead, it will be scrabbling for resources alongside other equally worthy departments."
The IR is an opportunity to reset the EP – by providing political top cover to delete multiple projects, remove significant costs from the EP and then use this new direction to fund ambition elsewhere. If done sensibly, then the opportunities over the next few years are huge. There is opportunity ahead – a balanced EP, with new capabilities like robotics, autonomous drones, cyber forces and North Atlantic Surveillance properly funded will be a game changer for so much of what Defence aspires to do. But to get there is going to require some painful defence cuts to find the space and headroom to make it happen. What is not clear is whether this is deliverable, or if the MOD will continue to exist in a state of financial challenge.
This challenge becomes even more considerable when put in the likely context of the post COVID world. With economic pain ahead, and more financial challenges likely, the MOD is probably not going to get a large budget boost anytime soon. Instead, it will be scrabbling for resources alongside other equally worthy departments."
Thread Starter
Interesting - I wonder if his views will outweigh all the vested interests already sounding off in the media about the possible reduction of the Army by 10,000 men?
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Sunday Telegraph
Watchkeeper, the British Army’s drone, which has been used to monitor immigrants in the Channel, is expected to be scrapped in the forthcoming defence review in a blow for Thales which built the aircraft in the UK.
Watchkeeper, the British Army’s drone, which has been used to monitor immigrants in the Channel, is expected to be scrapped in the forthcoming defence review in a blow for Thales which built the aircraft in the UK.
Thread Starter
to be replaced by Pritti Patel ina hot-air balloon?
Coverage in The Times this week suggests that the decision to cut 10,000 troops seems to be descending in a willy waving competition about which cap badges should be retained. FFS.
As long as the willy waving is not allowed to influence the higher-level decision then they can get on with it as far as I'm concerned, it all adds to the spectacle. Besides, we shouldn't be under any illusion that there hasn't been a great deal of willy waving in the past over squadron number assignments...