Defence News

Defence News: 28 April 2011

Royal Wedding's Sergeant Major receives historic insignia
Royal Marines teach Afghan colleagues rugby
Cavalry soldiers count down to royal wedding duties
RAF police support Afghan Army patrol

Defence in the Media: 28 April 2011

Summary
BBC News reports that the prison from which around 500 Taliban detainees escaped had been infiltrated over a period of months by insurgents. | The Guardian reports that the UK has defended its training programme for foreign military leaders after it was revealed that several Syrian officers were trained at MOD colleges. | Various media outlets report how a veteran Afghan officer shot dead eight NATO troops and a civilian before being killed himself after an argument at Kabul Airport yesterday. | The Wall Street Journal reports that Pakistan is urging President Karzai to form a long term strategic partnership with Pakistan and China - as opposed to with the US. | The Independent claims that British military officers have privately asked for clarification on the standing of their forces under international law in Libya.

UK troops in Libya
Several national newspapers have reported that Britain may consider deploying ground troops in the Libya campaign for humanitarian purposes or to protect safe havens for civilians. Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has said that Britain 'may have to look at' deploying ground troops as part of the Libya campaign to establish safe havens for civilians. However, in evidence given to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, he stressed that the Government has no plans and 'no intentions to deploy British forces on the border of Libya'.

Royal Navy aircraft carriers
BBC News and several other news outlets have reported that the cost of the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers has risen by between £1bn and £2bn. The BBC claims that building HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales could end up costing the taxpayer £7bn, an increase on the £5.2bn expected at the time of the Strategic Defence and Security Review last autumn.

The conversion of the Queen Elizabeth Class, announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, will allow us to operate the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter which has a greater payload, has a longer range and is cheaper to purchase. This will give our new carriers, which will be in service for 50 years, greater capability and interoperability with our allies. Final costs are yet to be agreed and detailed work is ongoing. We expect to take firm decisions in late 2012.

Image of the Day: 28 April 2011

In preparation for their role in the wedding tomorrow of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, RAF fast jets have been involved in some last minute rehearsals. Yesterday at RAF Coningsby the fast jet element of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, comprising two Tornado GR4s and two Typhoons, rehearsed their formation for the flypast which will go over Admiralty Arch, The Mall and Buckingham Palace. [Picture: Senior Aircraftman Graham Taylor, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Defence Diary: 28 April 2011

Today, Thursday 28 April 2011
Funeral in Wigan of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux who died on 8 April 2011 from wounds sustained when shot by another member of HMS Astute's crew.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Ayr.
Kohima Memorial Service at York Minster.

Tomorrow, Friday 29 April 2011
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
Type 45 destroyer Dragon undergoes sea trials.

Monday 2 May 2011
TV programme of interest: 'Dambusters - Building the Bouncing Bomb', Channel 4, 2000hrs.

Tuesday 3 May 2011
Inquest in London into the death of Private Ryan Wrathall in Basra, Iraq, on 12 February 2009.
Inquest in Trowbridge into the deaths of Major James Joshua Bowman, Lieutenant Neal Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun, from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, who were killed in an attack by a member of the Afghan National Army on 13 July 2010.
D Squadron Household Cavalry Regiment medal parade at Combermere Barracks.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Glasgow.
TV programme of interest: 'Military Driving School', ITV1, 1930hrs. Episode 3 of 6.

Wednesday 4 May 2011
Inquest in Hatfield into the deaths of Marine Matthew Harrison, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, who was killed in Afghanistan on 13 July 2010, and Corporal Christopher Lewis Harrison, also from 40 Commando Royal Marines, who was killed in Afghanistan on 9 May 2010.
Bomber Command turf-cutting ceremony in Green Park, London.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Penicuik.
International Institute for Strategic Studies event: Dr Vali Nasr on 'Afghanistan-Pakistan: US Perspectives'.
Chatham House event: Economics vs Extremism in a Changing Middle East.

Thursday 5 May 2011
Local authority elections in England and Northern Ireland.
Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
Chatham House event: The West's Vital Interests in Pakistan.

Defence News: 27 April 2011

HMS Cornwall's final homecoming
Hague updates parliament on Libya
UK and US defence chiefs assess Afghanistan and Libya operations
2 SCOTS return from Afghanistan
Spitfire salute for royal couple
14 Squadron says goodbye with disbandment parade

Defence in the Media: 27 April 2011

Summary
Several media outlets feature debates over whether the UK should intervene in Syria and made comparisons to the situation in Libya. | Channel 4 News reports that Wikileaks cables have claimed that an al-Qaeda terror suspect held at Guantanamo Bay prison was an MI6 informer. | The BBC reports a UN team is due to arrive in Tripoli to investigate allegations of human rights violations in Libya since the start of the conflict in February. | As reported in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail Prime Minister David Cameron has said he has not ruled out arming the rebels in Libya, but there remain 'legal and practical questions which need to be carefully considered'. | The Guardian reports that US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a Russian claim that NATO is trying to assassinate Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. | Various media sources report that Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has said the UK may work with its EU partners to impose sanctions on the Syrian regime if the violence continues. | The Independent and the 'I' feature a comment piece arguing that Western intervention in Syria would make the situation worse. | Several media sources report that NATO forces have confirmed the killing of one of their most-wanted Al-Qaeda militants, Abdul Ghani. | The Evening Standard reports that Prince William is said to have played a key role in seizing a £40m haul of cocaine during his Royal Navy training. | The Sun reports that SAS teams are allegedly on standby to help guard the Royal Wedding. | There have been various reports that up to a thousand members of the military carried out a pre-dawn royal wedding dress rehearsal today. | Various media outlets have covered the facility where Prince Harry welcomed back the Walking with the Wounded team after their trek to the North Pole and hinted that he may join them for their next expedition, to Mount Everest.

Image of the Day: 27 April 2011

Soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (1 R WELSH) have been taking part in Exercise Askari Thunder in Kenya. At Turaco Farm, near Nanyuki Showground Camp, the soldiers prepared their kit and equipment prior to the final training exercise, which will bring all their training in Kenya into play as they exercise various scenarios as a battlegroup. Pictured: Fusilier Scott Bennett on exercise in Kenya with Fire Support Group 2, 1 R WELSH [Picture: Sergeant Ian Forsyth, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Defence Diary: 27 April 2011

Today, Wednesday 27 April 2011
7 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers medal parade in Wattisham.
16 Brigade Headquarters medal parade in the Brecon Beacons.

Tomorrow, Thursday 28 April 2011
Funeral in Wigan of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux who died on 8 April 2011 from wounds sustained when shot by another member of HMS Astute's crew.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Ayr.
Kohima Memorial Service at York Minster.

Friday 29 April 2011
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
Type 45 destroyer Dragon undergoes sea trials.

Monday 2 May 2011
TV programme of interest: 'Dambusters - Building the Bouncing Bomb', Channel 4, 2000hrs.

Tuesday 3 May 2011
Inquest in London into the death of Private Ryan Wrathall in Basra, Iraq, on 12 February 2009.
Inquest in Trowbridge into the deaths of Major James Joshua Bowman, Lieutenant Neal Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun, from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, who were killed in an attack by a member of the Afghan National Army on 13 July 2010.
D Squadron Household Cavalry Regiment medal parade at Combermere Barracks.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Glasgow.
TV programme of interest: 'Military Driving School', ITV1, 1930hrs. Episode 3 of 6.

Wednesday 4 May 2011
Inquest in Hatfield into the deaths of Marine Matthew Harrison, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, who was killed in Afghanistan on 13 July 2010, and Corporal Christopher Lewis Harrison, also from 40 Commando Royal Marines, who was killed in Afghanistan on 9 May 2010.
Bomber Command turf-cutting ceremony in Green Park, London.
2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland homecoming parade in Penicuik.
International Institute for Strategic Studies event: Dr Vali Nasr on 'Afghanistan-Pakistan: US Perspectives'.
Chatham House event: Economics vs Extremism in a Changing Middle East.

Defence News: 26 April 2011

Royal Navy saves 7 and dog in cliff-face rescue
British Officer Cadets make their mark at US academy competition

Defence in the Media: 26 April 2011

Summary
Many media outlets continue to feature coverage of Libya, with various reports that the people of Misurata continue to suffer from the fierce fighting between rebel and Gaddafi forces with many civilians being killed or injured. | In Friday's Sun, Colonel Tim Collins draws attention to the scars of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that are carried by many current and ex-Service personnel. | The Times featured a comment piece from Brigadier Paul Gibson (Ret'd) who said that the Prime Minister should pull out of Afghanistan and claim it as a job well done. | Various media sources featured coverage of the announcement by the US that they will send two Predator drones to Libya. | On Saturday, BBC Evening News featured an interview in prison with 19-year-old Taliban mass murderer Zara Ajam who killed 42 people in a bank in eastern Afghanistan. | The Sun and Daily Star reported that Prime Minister David Cameron is following the England football team by donating an hour's pay to our war wounded for the Help for Heroes St George's Day campaign. | The Times claimed that the suicide bomber who attacked the Kabul Defence Ministry last week may have come from London. | Both the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Express reported that Prince William is still determined to serve in Afghanistan. | The Times claimed that Typhoon jets are being used in Libya for missions for which they are ill-equipped because military chiefs are anxious to justify their high cost. | The same paper also reported that minehunters taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior have found two pieces of Second World War ordnance. | Sunday's Andrew Marr Show on the BBC saw Foreign Secretary William Hague saying that we are not directly involved in Syria but were working with allies to bring democracy. | The Sunday Mirror reported that veterans and bereaved families of those killed or injured in Iraq or Afghanistan are to be among the guests invited to the Royal Wedding. | The same newspaper has reported that grenade launchers issued to the Afghan National Army have found their way into Taliban hands and are now being used to attack British troops; according to Paras who have just returned from Afghanistan. | The Star on Sunday claimed the MOD has been slammed for blundering over nuclear submarine secrets for the second week running. | On Monday, various media outlets reported that Colonel Gaddafi's compound has been badly damaged by a NATO strike. | There has been widespread coverage today about 470 inmates escaping from a prison in Kandahar. | The Daily Telegraph and The Sun reported that the head of the infantry, Brigadier Richard Dennis has warned that the SAS is facing a recruitment crisis because soldiers do not have time to train for demanding selection tests. | Several media reports claimed that, through an April Fool's trick, hundreds of soldiers fell for a spoof article in Soldier magazine which stated that 'sexist' ranks such as 'guardsman' were to be ditched. | On Tuesday it has been reported that Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has said Italy will take part in strategic bombing raids over Libya. | The Daily Mail and the Financial Times claim Britain is drawing up plans for sanctions on Syria after the regime deployed tanks against civilians yesterday.

Accommodation for Navy personnel
Today's Sun claims that sailors have been ordered to sleep in bunk beds at a UK base following hefty budget cuts. The article reports that Navy personnel are having to share single living accommodation. Doubling up junior rates in single living accommodation is the most appropriate, supportive and cost-effective way to accommodate those who leave decommissioned ships and are not immediately assigned a permanent position elsewhere.