Defence News

Defence in the Media: 30 July 2010

Summary
There has been extensive media coverage of General Sir Peter Wall's appointment as the new Chief of the General Staff. | Various news outlets have reported that the Taliban have said they are studying the WikiLeaks website carefully and will be 'taking action' against the Afghans named in documents for providing help to the NATO forces in the country. | The Guardian features the diary of a reporter who was embedded with a US helicopter ambulance crew. | The Daily Telegraph reports that the Taliban has praised the Dutch Government for pulling its troops out of Afghanistan. | The Times and The Independent report that a leaked document on the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) claims to show that the Tornado and Harrier fleets could be grounded as a cost-saving measure, with the Tornado cuts saving more than the Harrier cuts. | Various media report that the Chancellor George Osborne has told the MOD that the Department will have to shoulder the cost of replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent from its budget. | In an interview with the Metro, Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said the financial backdrop of the SDSR was appalling and blamed the Labour Government for the financial mess. | Channel 4 News reported that General Sir David Richards took officer cadets to see a theatre production called 'The Great Game', about foreign incursions into Afghanistan, to help them understand the people, the culture and the history of the country.

British and Afghan forces launch operation in central Helmand
British and Afghan forces, led by 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, launched an operation this morning to continue the momentum generated by Operation MOSHTARAK and further squeeze insurgents in central Helmand. Operation TOR SHEZADA - Black Prince - has been planned and is being executed by ISAF forces working hand-in-hand with their Afghan counterparts. The operation involves British troops partnering Afghan forces from 3rd Brigade, 215 Corps, to clear insurgents from Sayedabad to the south of Nad 'Ali in Helmand province and prevent them from being able to use the area as a base from which to launch attacks. Click here to read more.

Use of bearskin in ceremonial caps
An article in The Times has been critical of the use of bearskin in the ceremonial caps worn by the British Army's Guards regiments, saying a synthetic replacement should be used. No bears are killed specifically for bearskin hats for the British Army. All bearskins used in the UK are sourced from Canada where bears are culled under the direction of the Canadian Government to keep the bear population under control. The MOD remains open to testing material that industry might offer us to assess whether a faux fur meets the requirements for a replacement bearskin hat material. So far industry has not been able to produce a suitable material to meet the Guards' requirements.

Troops were not 'sitting ducks'
The Financial Times today makes reference to comments by General Sir Peter Wall at the Iraq Inquiry in January 2010. Sir Roderic Lyne asked General Wall whether or not he thought that British troops in Basra were 'sitting ducks' and General Wall's response was reported on at the time by the Guardian. As the Guardian explained in their article, which was corrected after publication, General Wall himself did not use the expression 'sitting ducks' or agree with it; he merely acknowledged that that expression had been used in the past. The Guardian also reported his fuller response to the question from Sir Roderic Lyne.

Defence in the Media: 29 July 2010

Summary
Various news outlets report speculation that Lord Philip, a retired Scottish judge, has agreed to conduct an independent review into an RAF Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. | There has been widespread media coverage of the evidence given by former Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, at the Iraq Inquiry yesterday. | The Times reports that it is estimated that at any one time at least 4,000 British military personnel are studying with the Open University. | The Financial Times reports that US intelligence files published by WikiLeaks feature a series linking Osama bin Laden to suicide bombings in Afghanistan, a plot to assassinate President Karzai and financial dealings with North Korea. | The Daily Telegraph writes that The Indian Times yesterday reported details of normally secret British submarine operations, saying that they were taking part in secret war games off the coast of Goa. | BBC Breakfast featured a segment about several bereaved Armed Forces families who are currently on an outdoors adventure holiday in Cornwall funded by the charity Family Activity Breaks (FAB). | Various media outlets report that Army medic Corporal Sarah Marriott has saved an Afghan hound that she found while on foot patrol and was able to fly it back to the UK after a charity paid the £3,500 transport costs.

New Chief of the General Staff announced
Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of General Sir Peter Wall as the new Chief of the General Staff, it has been announced today, Thursday 29 July 2010. General Wall will take over from the current Chief of the General Staff, General Sir David Richards, in September this year. Click here to read more.

Defence in the Media: 28 July 2010

Summary
Various media outlets have reported that the death of a soldier from 36 Engineer Regiment, now named as Sapper Mark Antony Smith, who was killed in an explosion in the Sangin area of Helmand province, is being investigated as a suspected friendly fire incident. | Channel 4 News featured a report last night from Nick Paton Walsh who is currently embedded with soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army in Kandahar. | BBC News claims all training Hawks have been grounded after a fault was found with the ejector seat. | Various media outlets report that a paper by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has urged the Government to significantly scale back Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent in order to ensure it can be afforded in the future. | There has been further media analysis of the American military documents published on the WikiLeaks website, looking at how official military figures of civilian casualties do not match up with those reported by human rights groups. | The Guardian reports that survivors of an alleged NATO rocket attack on a small town in Helmand, which the Afghan Government says killed 52 civilians, spoke yesterday of their anger at what they claim was a deliberate air strike. | Various media sources have reported that in his evidence to the Iraq Inquiry yesterday, the UN's former chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said that Britain and the US should have realised that intelligence about Iraq's supposed 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' was wrong before the start of the war.

Sapper Mark Antony Smith killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Sapper Mark Antony Smith, from 36 Engineer Regiment, serving with the Counter-IED Task Force, was killed in Afghanistan on Monday 26 July 2010. Click here to read more.

Tonga to send troops to Afghanistan
It has been reported that Tonga has agreed to send a contingent of 55 troops to Afghanistan, following an invitation from the UK to get involved. The MOD welcomes the news that Tonga has agreed to deploy alongside UK forces in Helmand. Tonga has agreed to deploy 55 personnel in a force protection role - this deployment is currently planned for Autumn 2010. As part of their deployment the Tongan personnel will receive an operational allowance in UK pounds in addition to their standard salary for the duration of their deployment. Afghanistan is an international community effort and this additional deployment by Tonga reinforces this. The next step is for Tonga to complete the NATO process to be recognised as a non-NATO troop-contributing nation.

Civil Service Redeployment Pool
The Times reports that Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has said that thousands of civil servants are without jobs in most Whitehall departments but are still being paid. The newspaper says that it emerged yesterday that most departments have redeployment pools made up of civil servants who have come to the end of particular projects and have no defined roles. The paper says that some of these officials 'turn up for work with little to do for weeks, months or sometimes years'.

The Redeployment Pool (RDP) was introduced by the MOD in October 2005 to provide a mechanism for helping civilian staff find a new post when their current post comes to an end or they are placed in a redundancy situation, or are due to return from an extended absence or overseas posting.

On 15 June 2010, 1,343 MOD personnel were in the RDP compared to 1,256 on 1 January 2008. The total number of employees that are currently in the RDP and have been for four months or more is 842. This represents civilian MOD data consisiting of permanent civilian personnel and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, but excludes Trading Funds and locally engaged civilians.

Defence in the Media: 27 July 2010

Summary
There is widespread coverage of the publication of thousands of secret US military files on the WikiLeaks website about the war in Afghanistan - see below. | ITN News at 10 featured an interview last night with injured serviceman Derek Derenalagi, a double amputee who was injured in Afghanistan in 2007, who talked about his rehabilitation. | The Guardian and The Times report that the Afghan Government has blamed a NATO rocket attack in Helmand for the deaths of at least 45 civilians last week, including women and children. | The Daily Mail claims the Queen's summer holiday is costing the taxpayer £1m in security, including the services of a Royal Navy warship. | There have been several news features about the horses from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery on their annual trip to Blackpool.

Soldier from 36 Engineer Regiment killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce that a soldier from 36 Engineer Regiment, serving as part of the Counter-IED Task Force, was killed in an explosion in the Sangin area of Helmand province on Monday 26 July 2010. Click here to read more.

US military document leaks
There is continuing media coverage about US military documents being published on WikiLeaks, with focus on civilian casualties and claims that the files contain evidence of 'war crimes'.

The MOD is currently examining its records to establish the facts in the alleged civilian casualty incidents raised. Reducing the risk to local civilians has always formed an essential part of planning for all military operations carried out by UK forces and we always do our utmost to ensure that we shield the civilian population from violence during the course of any military activity.

We are deeply saddened by any civilian deaths or injuries but we particularly regret incidents where civilians are killed as a result of actions by international forces. The MOD and ISAF have strict procedures, frequently updated in the light of experience, intended to both minimise the risk of casualties occurring and to investigate any incidents that do happen.

Defence in the Media: 26 July 2010

Summary
The BBC has reported that a UK-built Zephyr unmanned aerial vehicle has landed after a record-breaking two weeks of non-stop flight. | Various media outlets have reported that two US troops are missing in eastern Afghanistan. | There has been widespread coverage of the case of Private Aron Shelton, who lost his leg in an explosion whilst serving in Afghanistan and has been told by the Department for Work and Pensions that he will no longer be given a disability allowance. | The Daily Telegraph reports that the new US commander of ISAF forces in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, has decided not to continue with his predecessor’s plan to secure Kandahar. | Jeremy Clarkson has written an opinion piece for The Sun claiming that the public should be told about the numbers of enemy dead in Afghanistan to bring some context to the weekly figures revealing the number of British troops killed. | Various media outlets have reported on a meeting held by Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox to discuss the future of the Armed Forces. | BBC News reports that ISAF is to investigate claims that Afghan civilians were killed in an air strike on Friday. | The Sunday Times claims that the Navy has offered to put the Royal Marines under the control of the Army in an attempt to stave off cuts to its destroyers and frigates. | The Sunday Mirror reports that WWII veterans have expressed their disappointment with regards to Prime Minister David Cameron's comments that Britain was a junior partner to the US in 1940. | The News of the World features an article about Army medic Corporal Sarah Marriott who has been awarded a medal for braving rocket fire to save an injured Afghan soldier. | The Sunday Express claims that senior defence sources fear that Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists will profit from the growth in cigarette smuggling into the UK if a ban on tobacco advertising is implemented. | The Star on Sunday reports that British armoured vehicles are to get an aeroplane-style 'black box' which can report Taliban attacks to base and even call for reinforcements. | The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Star report that former cricketer Imran Khan claims the streets of Britain are less safe because of the war in Afghanistan. | There has been widespread media coverage that more than 90,000 secret US military records have been leaked to the media, releasing classified details of the war in Afghanistan. | The Times claims that the RAF and the Royal Navy are locked in talks to save their fast jets in the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

No manning crisis within the Army
The Sunday Mirror reports that the Armed Forces are in a manning 'crisis' as thousands of personnel have quit the Army. This is not true. The MOD's statistics service Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) produce a manpower report every month. It shows that in the year to 1 June 2010, 1,230 more people joined the Armed Forces than left. In that same year, 12,320 joined the Army versus 11,980 personnel who left. Full manning statistics are available at www.dasa.mod.uk

Paras in Helmand
The News of the World claims that 'crack SAS troops are being sent to America for parachute training - because there aren't enough RAF planes in the UK' and that 'more than 60 paras are now in Helmand with no jump experience'. It is factually incorrect to suggest 60 paratroopers are now in Helmand with no jump experience. 16 Air Assault Brigade do not deploy to Afghanistan until later in the year and it is also important to note that the vital training that has been conducted with our close allies in the US and Oman has increased the number of trained parachutists in the British Army.

Warthog vehicles to deploy to Afghanistan later this year
An article in the Star on Sunday has speculated that the MOD's new Warthog armoured vehicle may never arrive in Afghanistan and that it failed up to nine mine-blast tests. As part of the normal design process, Warthog underwent a series of blast tests to prove it provides protection from buried Improvised Explosive Devices – which it has now successfully completed. Warthog is planned for deployment later this year, and is currently undergoing rigorous testing to ensure that it is ready to deal with the demanding Afghan terrain and changing threats from insurgents. Until then our commanders will continue to select from the range of armoured vehicles already in Afghanistan, which include Mastiff, Warrior, Ridgback, Viking and Jackal.

Weight reductions of troops' personal kit
The Sunday Express has wrongly reported that British soldiers are suffering from an unprecedented number of ankle and spinal injuries because the equipment they are carrying is too heavy. While there is no evidence of an increase in ankle or spinal injuries among British troops, the MOD is committed to reducing the weight of our soldiers' kit as this is essential to ensuring their ability to manoeuvre in Afghanistan. 

A new project team has been created to look at ways of reducing the load carried by troops. So far they have reduced the weight of kit by 4.5 kg, with a further reduction of 8 kg expected by October.

Measures implemented so far include: trials of new lightweight patrol rations for troops in the field, that weigh less than 1 kg, compared with a 24-hour ration pack that weighs around 3 kg; new longer-life batteries to power radios and other equipment; and a new battery recharging system which reduces the number of spare batteries required.

Defence in the Media: 23 July 2010

Summary
ITV and Channel 4 News have reported that following the inquest into the death of Lieutenant Mark Evison of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, his mother has voiced her concerns that a helicopter sent to evacuate him when he was injured was delayed. | There have been several newspaper articles about how hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Wooton Bassett yesterday, as the bodies of Marine Jonathan David Thomas Crookes, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, Senior Aircraftman Kinikki "Griff" Griffiths, from the RAF Regiment, Sergeant David Thomas Monkhouse, from The Royal Dragoon Guards, and Staff Sergeant Brett George Linley, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, who all died within a 24-hour period, were brought home from Afghanistan. | The Daily Mirror claims that the Government is buying its way out of Afghanistan ahead of the next general election. | The Guardian features an opinion piece suggesting that it is time for the Government to admit that Iraq was an illegal war. | Various media outlets have reported that The Prince of Wales presenting Afghanistan campaign medals to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps who were given the Honorary Freedom of St Edmundsbury yesterday.

Corporal Matthew James Stenton and Lance Corporal Stephen Daniel Monkhouse killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Corporal Matthew James Stenton from the Royal Dragoon Guards and Lance Corporal Stephen Daniel Monkhouse from 1st Battalion Scots Guards were killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday, 21 July 2010. Click here to read more.

Future of UK military capability
The Daily Telegraph reports that in an interview in the paper, Dr Liam Fox says that the dire state of the public finances mean the Armed Forces could no longer be equipped to cover every conceivable danger.

The ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will ensure the UK has the military capability to deal with the realistic threats we may face as a country.

The starting point of the SDSR has always been to establish the baseline of threat which would then inform issues such as the force generation, structure and equipment across the Armed Forces.

It is of course the case that the review will consider all of these issues in the context of a post-Cold War world, the UK's membership of NATO, the United Nations and the European Union and the requirement of all of Government, including Defence, to play its role in rebuilding a strong UK economy.

Laptop losses
Several newspapers have reported the loss of laptop computers from Government departments over the past two years, including the Ministry of Defence. The MOD takes any loss of media storage devices very seriously and has robust procedures in place. New processes, instructions and technological aids have also been implemented to mitigate human errors and raise awareness of every individual in the Department. Investigations are undertaken into every loss or theft, and appropriate disciplinary action taken.

Defence in the Media: 22 July 2010

Summary
Various media outlets have reported that Prime Minister David Cameron has denied sending out "mixed messages" over plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2015. | There has been widespread coverage of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's comments yesterday that the Iraq war had been illegal. | Channel 4 News claims that Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox says he can't afford the capital cost of Trident and needs a bail-out from the Treasury. | The Radio 4 Today Programme featured an interview with veteran John Dale who spoke about his struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the help he has received from the MOD. | The Daily Mail and the Daily Express report that Prime Minister David Cameron faced a furious backlash yesterday for saying that the UK was a 'junior partner' to America in 1940 – a year before the US entered the war. | The Daily Telegraph claims that Dr Liam Fox has signalled that the senior ranks of the Armed Forces will be thinned out to save money. | The Daily Mail reports that the Royal Marines could be merged with the Parachute Regiment to form a new expeditionary brigade. | Various media outlets have reported that six Afghan policemen were beheaded when Taliban militants overran their checkpoint during an assault on government buildings. | The Times features a piece from embedded Defence Editor Deborah Haynes who outlines the work of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Lashkar Gah.

Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has announced that a soldier from The Royal Dragoon Guards and a soldier from 1st Battalion Scots Guards were killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday, 21 July 2010. Click here to read more.

Defence in the Media: 21 July 2010

Summary
There has been widespread coverage of the Kabul Conference with much focus on the international community's support for President Karzai's objective that the Afghan National Security Forces should lead and conduct all military operations in Afghanistan by 2014. | Various media report that Prime Minister David Cameron has said that, based on conditions on the ground, the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan could start as early as next year. | BBC Online reports that the National Audit Office (NAO) has said that the Ministry of Defence must stop 'living beyond its means'. | The Daily Telegraph and The Independent report that a renegade Afghan soldier shot dead two US civilian weapons trainers yesterday in Mazar-i-Sharif. | Various media outlets have reported on the evidence given by former head of MI5 Eliza Manningham-Buller at the Chilcot Inquiry. | The Financial Times claims that military planners are examining cutting Britain's land forces from eight to five brigades and hand the Army operational command of the Royal Marines. | The Times reports that the National Security Council will meet to consider the UK's defence priorities.

Defence Secretary challenges industry to "think differently"
Various media outlets have reported on the speech given by Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox yesterday at Farnborough International Air Show where he urged the British defence industry to improve its value for money to the taxpayer.

Defence in the Media: 20 July 2010

Summary
There is various media coverage of the Kabul conference involving 70 countries discussing the future of Afghanistan. | Channel 4 broadcast a programme last night called "World War 1 - Finding the lost battalions" which followed the extensive work that went into identifying, recovering and reburying the soldiers discovered in eight mass graves in Fromelles. | BBC2 broadcast a Newsnight special last night about A Company 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment's tour in Sangin which was followed by a discussion with soldiers from the Company on Newsnight itself. | The Daily Express reports that two tablets bearing the names of 215 men who left home to serve in WWI have been stolen from a stone monument in Greater Manchester. | There have been extensive tributes reported in the media to Staff Sergeant Brett Linley from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, who was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 17 July 2010. | The Guardian reports that the rate at which British troops in Afghanistan have been killed has nearly doubled in recent months and is proportionately higher than their American counterparts. | The Financial Times and other publications, highlight that during his first visit to America as Prime Minister, David Cameron will meet with President Obama to discuss several issues, including the two nations' military involvement in Afghanistan. | The Times reports that even with $40bn in international aid, Afghanistan is still one of the world's poorest countries. | The Guardian reports that the White House is revising its Afghanistan strategy to embrace the idea of negotiating with senior members of the Taliban. | The Daily Mail claims that a Gurkha soldier cut off the head of a Taliban 'war-lord' to prove he had killed him. | There has been widespread media coverage of the ceremony held yesterday in France to lay to rest the last 250 British and Australian victims of the Battle of Fromelles.

Karzai pays tribute to ISAF
President Karzai has paid tribute to the 'deepening international partnership' his country has with its International Security Assistance Force allies, as he spoke at the opening of the Kabul Conference. Click here to read more.

Defence in the Media: 19 July 2010

Summary
Various news outlets report on comments by Dr Liam Fox that British forces could cease combat roles in Afghanistan by 2014. I The BBC reports that the last of 250 soldiers discovered in First World War communal graves will be reburied today in Fromelles I PA trail the fact that The International Development Secretary will today announce that aid to Afghanistan is to be increased by 40 per cent I The Financial Times claims the defence industry is bracing itself for the outcome of the SDSR to see where the axe will fall I The Times reports that the MOD has awarded 532 redundancy packages of more than £100,000 including Sir Ian Andrews who received a package of £430,000 I The Daily Star says thousands of British Service personnel are facing unemployment when they leave the forces I Various papers report that taxpayers could pick up the £1.4m in bills to provide protection for Prince William if he chooses to live in a remote cottage rather than at RAF Valley I Various media reports on a study which suggests that recreational drug ecstacy could help war veterans overcome PTSD. I Several papers report on a Gurkha soldier who has been sent home from Afghanistan after beheading a dead Taliban militant. I Many papers claim the Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has challenged the Treasury, saying that the cost of the Trident replacement should not come out of the core defence budget. I The Airbus A400M military transport plane makes its debut at the Farnborough Air Show today.

Staff Sergeant Brett George Linley killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Staff Sergeant Brett George Linley, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 17 July 2010. Staff Sergeant Linley, serving with the Counter-IED Task Force in support of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (South), was killed in an explosion during a counter-IED operation in the Nahr-e Saraj District of Helmand province. Click here for more information.

Sergeant David Thomas Monkhouse killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Sergeant David Thomas Monkhouse, from The Royal Dragoon Guards, was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 17 July 2010. Sergeant Monkhouse, serving as part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (North), was killed in an explosion in the Nahr-e Saraj District of Helmand province. Click here for more information.

Senior Aircraftman Kinikki "Griff" Griffiths killed in a vehicle accident in Afghanistan
It is with regret that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Senior Aircraftman Kinikki "Griff" Griffiths, from the RAF Regiment, was killed in a vehicle accident in Afghanistan on Friday 16 July 2010. Senior Aircraftman Griffiths, serving as part of the Camp Bastion Force Protection Wing, was killed in the vicinity of Camp Bastion, Helmand province. Click here for more information.

Marine Jonathan David Thomas Crookes killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Marine Jonathan David Thomas Crookes, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, was killed in Afghanistan on Friday 16 July 2010. Marine Jonathan David Thomas Crookes, from Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines, serving as part of Combined Force Sangin, was killed in an explosion while on foot patrol in the Sangin District of Helmand province. Click here for more information.