PPRuNe Forums - Wallace Resigns as Minister for Defence

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- - Wallace Resigns as Minister for Defence (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/654512-wallace-resigns-minister-defence.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildRover (Post 11495336)

You praise Wallace, but he was on watch when CAS introduced the none white male recruiting policy for the RAF and he didn't stop it?

Plus, why did he not order 5 Rivet Joints instead of 3 which would have cost peanuts to procure? Where are the F35's that we are supposed to acquire and where are they going to be based?

Not convinced any of the recent politicians have the countries defence at heart!

And 3 Wedgetails instead of 5 (but we are committed to getting the 5 radar systems).

Reducing the fleet from five to three save £256 mil which is nothing when each aircraft is / was £630 mil.
they would have been better buying them then offering them for sale or storing them in the desert.

Quote:

According to figures released in December last year three E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft due to enter service with the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) will cost £630m each, despite savings resulting from reducing the planned buy down from an initial five platforms.

In reworking the planned acquisition, the UK MoD shaved £265m off the expected programme cost for the three aircraft to £1.89bn, down from £2.155bn originally.

The figures came to light in a 13 December parliamentary written response from the UK Government and did not take into account the estimated forecast savings from long-term sustainment through reduced support costs as a result of the reduction in fleet size.

The first E-7 Wedgetail is expected to be delivered to the UK MoD in 2024, following completion of its flight test programme and initial certification activity. It is expected that initial operating capability will follow three to six months after delivery, exact timing of which will be confirmed when the programme’s Full Business Case is submitted in mid-2023.

With MESA radars four and five being delivered, it leaves open the potential that a rethink could reintroduce the airframes previously cut from the programme. However, financial pressures in the MoD, and accusations of a “broken” defence procurement system by the PAC, continue to be influencing near- and medium-term factors

https://www.airforce-technology.com/...-120m/?cf-view

Isn't Rivet Joint subject to a co-manning agreement, so that to some degree it's a single force?

Regarding Wedgetails I have a lot of sympathy with Northrop's written evidence to Parliament in May 2022 which may suggest even 5 was too few. Granted go it alone ops by the UK are very, very unlikely.

Quote:

If one factors in routine maintenance, failure rectification, and upgrade, a three aircraft fleet can only
guarantee two available aircraft. It is therefore immediately apparent that a three aircraft fleet cannot meet
the seemingly simple task of persistent orbit at relatively short range for a single task/ theatre. This is
obviously exacerbated further by concurrent operations and training. Previous experience in Bosnia
showed that to deploy the three aircraft needed to constitute an enduring capability took four deployed
crews and used the entirety of a seven aircraft fleet in rotation. Waivers were required to allow greater than
normal duty times for the crews.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildRover (Post 11495336)

Let’s not forget that Wallace (and muppet Moores) directed the department to reduce the number of E-7’s despite that figures showing it was a ridiculous decision! It’s hard to hold a contractor to account when we mess about with the requirements!

Having just read that old boy Shapps has held no less than 5 ministerial jobs in the past year and he considers that enough to equip him with the necessary skills to be SoSDef then holy moly. And he knows deeply about defence because his forebearers fought in WW2.
Well after 42 years of voting blue, admitted some wobbles have been in there over the years, 16 years of 'full" service i will not be voting for the current government. Sunak needs to wake up, 5 jobs in the past year!, a serial politician, who has an N reg - not G reg a/c...

I firmly believe Rishi went to the cabinet before he appointed him, the drinks cabinet.

"he considers that enough to equip him with the necessary skills to be SoSDef then holy moly. And he knows deeply about defence because his forebearers fought in WW2."

To be fair it is not a requirement of the UK Cabinet system for a Minister to have ANY experience or knowledge of the Ministry she/he heads. In fact if you do have that knowledge you're seen as a possible insider with already fixed views. Health Ministers are rarely Doctors, Education Ministers almost never teachers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asturias56 (Post 11496301)

Exactly, having been a junior officer in the 90s is of no help to someone now at the highest level of defence, it's probably a diverting hindrance.

The Civil Service will take care of you - in all meanings of the words..............

New Defence Secretary Grant Schnapps, stated on LBC this morning that our Aircraft Carriers were bigger than the RAF had ever had before...

He seems rather confused already. Perhaps the Royal Navy should have a word! :rolleyes:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lima Juliet (Post 11495134)

pax britanica

The following Tory MPs might challenge that?

Tom Tugendhat MBE - TA Int Corps who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Top rank Lt Col.
Johnny Mercer - Royal Arty - also passed All Arms Cdo Course serving with 29 Cdo and 3 RHA. 3 tours in Afghanistan. Top rank Capt.
Penny Mordaunt - RNR. 9 years served. Recently made up to Captain RN.
Darren Henry - RAF. Joined as an Airman and rose to the rank of Sqn Ldr. Logistics Branch.
Leo Docherty - Scots Guards. Served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Top rank Capt.
John Baron - Fusilier. Served in NI, Cyprus and Germany. Top rank Capt.
Bob Stewart - Cheshire Regt. Served 27 years and retired as a Col. Saw action in NI and Bosnia.
Tobias Elwood - Royal Green Jackets. Top rank Captain.
James Sunderland - RLC retiring as a Col after 26 years of service across the globe.
James Cleverley - current TA in the Royal Arty. Has done nearly 30 years.
Ian Liddel-Granger - Fuslier. Major in the TA with 17 years service.
Jason McCartney - RAF. Admin Branch. 7 years and retired as Flt Lt.
Robert Seeley MBE - TA UKSF 9 years as a Captain.
Royston Smith - RAF as an engineer for 10 years.
James Heapey - Rifles. Served in Iraq, NI and Afghanistan. Retired as a Major.
Steve Baker - RAF. Engineering Officer. 10 years retiring as a Flt Lt.

There are others, but I can’t think of them right now. Any would be better suited in my humble opinion…

I did not mean only Eallace was any good because he was only one with expe ise aererience but that perhaps that experience ost otherwas a help unli,ke most othrr ministrrs. I know there is a very British anti professional school of thought that favors ignorant amateurs ovrr profesdionals. No inexperiencdd generals are there? Most airline ceos good and bad have some industry experience. Given the state of uk today then z i think there is a strong case that ministers should have some broadly relevant experience othrrwise you get liz truss types all over government.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Out Of Trim (Post 11497955)

In the absolutely literal sense, he was actually correct. But not a smart statement just after wandering into the job by chance.

Very careless of him to let slip his masterplan to merge the Army, RN and RAF ...

There's a thought. Bring back the Marine Craft branch and grow the RAF Regiment to 70000!

Has someone given him a copy of the Smuts report?