Defence News

Defence in the Media: 17 May 2012

Summary
Various papers report that an inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard has heard that soldiers directing an Army sniper were not aware of the existence of the observation post where Lance Corporal Pritchard was fatally shot. | The Wall Street Journal reports that Taliban attacks are jumping in the southern Afghan areas which were the focus of the 2010 US troop surge, posing a new challenge to ISAF as it prepares to draw down forces. | The Times reports that Pakistan's military has blocked a decision to reopen the country's border, leaving the question of how the West will withdraw from Afghanistan hanging over next week's NATO Summit in Chicago. | The Guardian has published an opinion piece by former Afghan MP Malalai Joya calling for NATO to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and predicting a very large protest at next week's Chicago conference. | The Daily Express reports that one of the last survivors of the Dambusters Raid marked its anniversary yesterday by reliving the mission. | The Times has published a feature on the reinvention of the Snatch Land Rover, which has now been redeveloped as an unmanned counter-IED tool. | The Daily Telegraph reports that the Defence Secretary has promised to protect the historic names of Scottish Army units after facing a furious reaction to proposed restructuring. | The Guardian reports that, in an independent survey, 73 per cent of MOD civil servants have admitted that recruitment and retention is a problem in their areas.

Benefits for wounded veterans
Today the Sun claims that the MOD was not trying to protect our Armed Forces personnel from the Department for Work and Pensions welfare reforms.

We have been clear all along, and in this blog yesterday, that those that have been injured serving their country will receive special treatment as set out in the Armed Forces Covenant. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure this.

Sourcing MOD's cyber security software
The Daily Telegraph carries a story based on a House of Commons Defence Committee evidence session which suggests that the Ministry of Defence could have compromised Britain's cyber security by buying off-the-shelf software and hardware that may have been constructed in the Far East, in particular in China.

This is not the case as was stated by Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey during the evidence session in question.

The Ministry of Defence works with a number of global business partners in purchasing IT components. The MOD is well aware of the threats from cyberspace and takes necessary measures to ensure that its information and systems are appropriately protected. It was also clearly stated at the committee meeting that the MOD does not buy 'end product' IT systems from the Far East.

HMS Victory (1744)
The Times reports that the HMS Victory (1744) shipwreck is at the centre of a row between the MOD, a salvage company and archaeologists after it emerged that its treasures could be sold off.

In response to the article an MOD spokesperson said: "Contrary to reports, no decision has been made about recovering any part of the ship. The remains of Victory (1744) were gifted to the Maritime Heritage Foundation by the British Government with conditions; the Secretary of State for Defence has to agree before the site can be disturbed or anything recovered.

"Both the Secretary of State and the Foundation are guided by an Advisory Group, consisting of representatives of the National Museum of the Royal Navy and English Heritage, which provides specialist advice on maritime archaeology; the Group is supported by a panel of archaeological and legal experts.

"The Foundation has now produced a project plan which the Advisory Group is presently considering and will provide advice on to both the Foundation and the Government."

Defence in the Media: 16 May 2012

Summary
The BBC reports that RAF aircraft rehearsed a flypast over RAF Valley, Anglesey, in preparation for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. | Various papers report that an alleged Taliban fighter, who says he was tortured by Afghan authorities after being captured by British troops in Helmand, has won the right in the courts to challenge the government over his transfer. | The Daily Mirror reports that an inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard has heard that there was a radio failure just before he was killed. | The Times reports that NATO has invited President Zardari of Pakistan to the summit on Afghanistan in Chicago, a sign that Islamabad may reopen its borders to US and NATO military supplies bound for Afghanistan. | The Telegraph reports that infighting among the Taliban leadership has provoked a terrorist campaign against senior dissidents who support negotiations with the US-backed Afghan Government, a senior insurgency leader has revealed. | The Guardian reports that the Government's central argument for the creation of a new generation of secret courts has been 'blown out of the water' by the leak of highly sensitive UK intelligence in the US, according to David Davis MP. | The Sun reports that Carol Vorderman has joined the call for donations to the Bomber Command Memorial. | Various papers report that NATO's anti-piracy forces carried out their first air attack on mainland Somalia yesterday, strafing a beach from a low-flying helicopter and destroying pirates' boats, fuel supplies and an arms cache.

Disability benefits for veterans
The Telegraph and TV show Daybreak have today reported that military veterans who have lost limbs serving their country may lose support under plans by the Department for Work and Pensions to reform Disability Living Allowance and replace it with the Personal Independence Payment.

Under the Armed Forces Covenant the Government has committed to ensuring those who have been injured as a result of their service in the Armed Forces will not be disadvantaged. The MOD is in discussion with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure this commitment is implemented effectively in their welfare reforms.

The Department for Work and Pensions has stated that the consultation process is ongoing and no decision has yet been made. Furthermore, it has stated assessment for the benefit will not simply be based upon the injury but upon individual assessment of how that injury affects the person's mobility.

Defence in the Media: 15 May 2012

Summary
Various papers report yesterday's announcement by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond that the MOD's budget is now balanced. | ITV News reported that the Big White Wall online service has received a vital funding boost to help it provide counselling for Armed Forces personnel suffering from mental health problems. | Various papers cover the inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard in Afghanistan in 2009, with suggestions that he may have been mistakenly killed by a British sniper who wrongly identified him as a Taliban fighter. | Various papers report that Lance Corporal Aaron Deans who came close to dying after being hit by a Taliban bullet has said that he wants to go back to Helmand. | The Times reports that Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that Western Governments have begun looking at a Plan B for Syria should the six-point initiative proposed by Kofi Annan fail to stop the fighting. | The Independent reports that NATO has defended the bombing campaign in Libya, saying it was carried out with care and precision, following criticism by Human Rights Watch which says ordinary civilians were wrongly targeted during the missile attacks. | The Times reports that a report written for the Atlantic Council by the former US Ambassador to NATO, Nicholas Burns, argues that the UK has no clear foreign policy vision, which is weakening its relations with the US and Europe. | Various papers report that injured Service personnel could lose their Disability Living Allowance following plans by the Department for Work and Pensions to reduce welfare costs. | Various papers report that the hull of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was loaded onto a barge yesterday at Portsmouth Dockyard to be transported to Rosyth.

Defence in the Media: 14 May 2012

Summary
Various media reported that the MOD has confirmed a device which can be used as a 'sonic weapon' will be deployed in London during the Olympics. | On Saturday, The Times reported that members of the UK Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Task Force in Helmand are teaching their skills to members of the Afghan National Army. | The Daily Telegraph has claimed that Prime Minister David Cameron is heading for a confrontation with Francois Hollande, France's new socialist president, next week over the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan. | The Daily Express reported that the roof to the £7.5m Bomber Command Memorial has been lowered into place. | The BBC reported that the Royal Navy is sending its pilots to the United States for training to ensure they keep up their maritime flying skills. | On Sunday, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond spoke to Andrew Marr at the BBC about security measures being deployed for the Olympics, the measures undertaken to close the £38bn black hole in the MOD's budget and how the MOD has balanced its books. | The Sunday Telegraph and the Sun on Sunday reported that more than one in five Service personnel have had abuse shouted at them by strangers, according to a study commissioned by Conservative Peer Lord Ashcroft. | The Mail on Sunday claimed that Lord Nelson's HMS Victory is being hired out for parties at a cost of £1,500 a head. | Today the Daily Telegraph reports that Philip Hammond says that Britain needs to spend money on building defences against an 'e-bomb' that could explode in the upper atmosphere and knock out all electronic communications and power. | The Wall Street Journal Europe reports that NATO carried out a successful first comprehensive test of the alliance's new missile defence capability.

Corporal Brent John McCarthy and Lance Corporal Lee Thomas Davies killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Corporal Brent John McCarthy, from the Royal Air Force, and Lance Corporal Lee Thomas Davies, from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, were killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 12 May 2012. Click here to read more.

Gifting of military vehicles to Afghan forces
Saturday's Daily Mail and the Sunday Mirror both reported that Britain plans to give military vehicles worth an estimated £1bn to Afghan forces once our combat mission there concludes in 2014.

This story is simply not true. Further work will need to be completed before final decisions are made as to which equipment we plan to retain and which we plan to dispose of as UK Armed Forces conclude their combat mission in Afghanistan. However, there are no current plans to leave any armoured military vehicles in Afghanistan.

MOD public speaking procedures
The Sun has today claimed that military chiefs and top civil servants have been gagged from speaking in public without permission from Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.

This is nonsense. Senior officers have always been required to gain permission to speak publicly before accepting any invitations. The MOD has had approval procedures in place for many years and these are broadly in line with the standard procedures of every major organisation.

Defence in the Media: 11 May 2012

Summary
Various media report yesterday's announcement by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond that the Government will be buying the STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter (see below). | The BBC's Newsnight programme last night looked at the wider issue of MOD procurement, in particular the Voyager aircraft project and the private finance initiative on air-to-air refuelling. | Various media have reported that the UN has condemned a series of car bomb attacks which killed more than 50 people and wounded around 400 in the Syrian capital Damascus. | The Telegraph online has reported that the Prime Minister is taking a personal interest in the battle to save Scotland's historic regiment names as Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond accused the coalition of demeaning the country's military tradition. | The Daily Mirror has reported that the son of fallen soldier Serjeant Steven Campbell (Sergeant spelled with a 'j' is unique to The Rifles) was among those to pay tribute to him as a building was named in his honour at Catterick Garrison. | The Daily Express reports that a Royal Navy helicopter due to transport journalists onto HMS Ocean for an Olympics security media event was grounded after a reporter's lost earring caused safety concerns. | Various papers report that a Second World War RAF fighter plane which crash landed in the Sahara Desert has been discovered 70 years on. | Various media report that hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, including some Ministry of Defence employees, took part in a 24-hour, UK-wide strike yesterday in a dispute with the Government over pension changes. | The Daily Mail reports that Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey has been criticised over his recently-published mileage expense claims.

Joint Strike Fighter decision
There has been widespread media coverage of yesterday's announcement by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond that the MOD will deliver Carrier Strike capability with the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, instead of the Carrier Variant.

Mr Hammond said: "The 2010 SDSR [Strategic Defence and Security Review] decision on carriers was right at the time, but the facts have changed and therefore so too must our approach. This government will not blindly pursue projects and ignore cost growth and delays.

"Carrier Strike with 'cats and traps' using the Carrier Variant jet no longer represents the best way of delivering Carrier Strike and I am not prepared to tolerate a three-year further delay to reintroducing our Carrier Strike capability.

"This announcement means we remain on course to deliver Carrier Strike in 2020 as a key part of our Future Force 2020."

Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, said: "Our Armed Forces have a successful history of operating short take-off and vertical landing aircraft and our pilots are already flying trials in this variant of the Joint Strike Fighter alongside our US allies.

"These stealth aircraft will be the most advanced fast jets our Armed Forces have ever operated and I know they will do so with the greatest skill and professionalism."

Explaining the costs incurred by switching from the Carrier Variant to the STOVL variant, Mr Hammond told the House of Commons that between £40m and £50m has been spent on 'cats and traps' design and planning work.

He also said the MOD will face some exit costs which are still being negotiated, plus the cost of installing take-off ramps on the two aircraft carriers. Therefore, the estimated total figure for the costs incurred is up to £100m.

CDS on the JSF decision
In today's Telegraph Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, writes why the decision to choose the STOVL model of the Joint Strike Fighter over the Carrier Variant that had previously been ordered for our two new aircraft carriers is the right one. Click here to read the article.

Defence in the Media: 10 May 2012

Summary
Various media report that up to 400,000 public sector workers are expected to take part in a 24-hour UK-wide strike today, in a dispute with the Government over proposed pension changes. | Ahead of the announcement on fighter aircraft for the Royal Navy's new carriers, former Navy officer and author Lewis Page was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme and said that it is wrong to go back on the decision to place catapults on the carriers. | The Times and the Independent feature coverage of an operation by Afghan soldiers and police, supported by the US, aimed at four Taliban-infiltrated villages in the north of Ghazni province. | The Guardian reports that British military operations in Afghanistan are coming under increasing scrutiny in the UK courts, as the numbers of prisoners continues to grow and concern is mounting that the men handed over to Kabul are facing severe mistreatment.

MOD announces change of Joint Striker Fighter jet
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has announced that plans to deliver Carrier Strike capability will now be executed using a different type of Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jet than was planned. The MOD will move away from the Carrier Variant JSF and our Armed Forces will instead operate the short take-off and vertical landing variant. Click here to read more.

Future structure of the Army
Today the Scotsman contained further speculation about the future of Scottish regiments.

A review of the future structure of the Army is ongoing and no conclusions have yet been reached. We understand that there is uncertainty but this speculation is unhelpful and unsettling for soldiers and their families.

The Coldstream Guards are also the longest serving Regiment of Foot Guards, not the most junior, as was stated in the article.

Defence in the Media: 9 May 2012

Summary
The Independent reports that America's top military and civilian officials in Afghanistan have insisted that the Taliban are divided and in retreat. | The Sun reports that soldiers wounded in Afghanistan will get specialised care at a £6.5m centre opened yesterday in Colchester by Help for Heroes. | The Telegraph has a comment piece by Tim Collins who is opposed to the plan to scrap historic regimental names. | The Sun reports that Argentina's president has defended an advert showing an athlete training for the Olympics on a Falklands war memorial. Cristina Kirchner said the video reflected her people's feelings. | The Telegraph reports that David Cameron has approved a U-turn on Joint Strike Fighter, and that the Defence Secretary will make an announcement about this on Thursday. | Various media report that military and coastguard helicopters were helping to deal with emergencies yesterday after the UK's air ambulances were grounded over safety fears. | Various papers report that a group of injured British servicemen have been forced to abandon their expedition to climb Mount Everest because of an increased risk of avalanches.

Royal Navy counter-piracy operations
The Guardian reports that the UK has had to scale back its commitment to counter-piracy operations because the Navy no longer has enough warships. The article says the paper has learnt that despite the Prime Minister saying that countering pirates off the coast of Somalia is a foreign policy priority, Britain no longer has a year-long presence in the region. Defence cuts mean that only two frigates can be deployed for contingency operations and the Olympics mean the Navy will be further stretched over the summer.

Internationally, the Royal Navy remains at the forefront of counter-piracy operations, commanding the European Union counter-piracy mission while providing a frigate to coalition operations off Somalia and surging units to NATO operations.

It is because of national commitments like this and operations like that carried out by Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Fort Victoria in January, which saw the capture and detention of 14 pirates, that the number of successful hijackings and hostage-takings by pirates is at a three-year low.

This work forms part of a comprehensive government approach to restoring stability to this area of the world highlighted earlier this year by the UK hosting an international conference on Somalia.

Defence in the Media: 8 May 2012

Summary
On Saturday, various media reported that tributes have been paid to Corporal Andrew Roberts and Private Ratu Silibaravi, from 23 Pioneer Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, who were killed in Afghanistan on Friday. | The Guardian reported that the UK publication this month of a book of translated Taliban poetry has been denounced as enemy propaganda by Colonel Richard Kemp (Retd), former commander of British forces in Afghanistan. | Various media reported that the Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary have condemned the advert showing an Argentine athlete training on a British war memorial in the Falklands. | Various media reported that the Royal Navy's largest ship, HMS Ocean, has sailed up the River Thames for a major security exercise in preparation for the Olympic Games codenamed Olympic Guardian. | Various media reported that, in a tragic accident at the Castlemartin Ranges in Pembrokeshire, Ranger Michael Maguire was shot and subsequently died during a live firing training exercise. | The Telegraph reported that the Defence Secretary has said that he is prepared to give the order to shoot down hijacked aircraft if they pose a risk to the Olympics, even if a jet is filled with passengers. | The Daily Star reported that cyber criminals have managed to hack into some of the Ministry of Defence's computer systems. The MOD clarified that no 'Top Secret' material is stored on terminals connected to the internet. | On Sunday, the Express reported that families of victims of an alleged act of brutality by a group of Scots Guards soldiers in Malaya more than 60 years ago have launched a judicial review in a bid to seek a full independent investigation. | The Observer reported that the MOD is facing a legal battle and parliamentary questions after letting a US company excavate a British 18th century warship laden with potentially lucrative cargo. | The Mail on Sunday reported that Prince William is considering his future with the RAF after being told he has until the end of the year to decide whether he wants to continue flying. | The Sunday Times reported that the RAF is planning to use a base in Russia to withdraw billions of pounds worth of military hardware from Afghanistan when UK forces pull out. | The Daily Mail reported that a memorial to First World War veteran Harry Patch, who died in 2009, has been unveiled in Wells, Somerset. | The Daily Mail also reported that troops are being trained to deal with a poison attack from drone aircraft at a top secret military establishment in Wiltshire. | Today, various media report that Prince Harry has received a humanitarian award in the US for his and Prince William's charitable work in support of injured Service personnel. | The Daily Mirror reports that a soldier, Private Craig Paterson, who continued to fight the Taliban after a sniper shot him in the head, is preparing to cycle around Britain for charity. | The Times reports that more than a hundred Afghan police are charged each week with criminal offences. | The Daily Mirror reports that only four soldiers mentally scarred by the horrors of war in Afghanistan were compensated last year. | The Daily Mirror also reports that Red Arrow jets are set to fly over Red Square for the first time as relations between the UK and Russia start to thaw.

Corporal Andrew Steven Roberts and Private Ratu Manasa Silibaravi killed in Afghanistan
It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Corporal Andrew Steven Roberts and Private Ratu Manasa Silibaravi, both from 23 Pioneer Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, were killed in Afghanistan on Friday 4 May 2012.

HMS Dauntless
The Mail on Sunday (6 May) carried an article in which it was wrongly claimed that the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless was left helpless and stranded off West Africa. The article does carry the following statement from a Royal Navy spokesman but fails to acknowledge that the ship was not stranded or helpless: "HMS Dauntless was not left drifting and her propellers did not stop. An electrical overload did occur and, to ensure that essential systems remained powered, low priority systems were briefly isolated until the problem was fixed. Every new class of ship has teething problems. Ships have their own characteristics and it takes time for the ship's company to learn them in every environment."

The reference to an electrical overload was gleaned from one short sentence in a full-page piece written by another journalist embedded on HMS Dauntless as the ship successfully exercised with the navies of West African nations. The journalist who was on board HMS Dauntless focused on the benefits for the UK of engaging with other countries through training and exercises, rather than a momentary electrical overload which formed the focus of the Mail on Sunday article.

Olympics security 
The Telegraph carries a comment piece by Con Couglin entitled 'A frontier far away holds the key to our Olympics security' which alleges that there will be a 'military lockdown in London' during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It also makes further claims, including the Games being turned into 'a major war zone' and the presence of 'over the top security measures'.

This is not the case, and, while the Government has stated that safety at this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games is of paramount importance, it wishes to cause as little disruption to people going about their everyday business as possible. As we have said on numerous occasions, after the training exercise that is taking place this week, military personnel and assets will blend into the background during the Games themselves as the sport takes centre stage.

As General Sir Nick Parker, Standing Joint Commander (UK), has previously said: "I know that members of the Armed Forces are pleased to be able to make an appropriate contribution to the once-in-a-lifetime event that is London 2012. It's entirely proper that, as national institutions which serve our country, we are seen to be helping to make the London Olympics a resounding success."

Future structure of the Army
The Telegraph also has an interview with Defence Secretary Philip Hammond on the future structure of the Army.

A review into this is ongoing and no conclusions have yet been reached. As General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, has stated previously, the Army is confident it can meet its target of 82,000 by 2020. We are gradually moving towards the new Army structure so that operations are not adversely affected in any way.

The Telegraph also claims that regiments with significant numbers of soldiers from Commonwealth countries will be most vulnerable. To put these figures into context, just under 10 per cent of the infantry across the Army is made up of foreign and Commonwealth soldiers. In 2011/12 inflow into the entire Army was 10,205, of which 9,475 recruits were from the UK mainland.

Defence in the Media: 4 May 2012

Summary
Various media report on the demonstration yesterday of the ground-based air defence systems that could be used to protect the skies over the Olympics this summer. | Various media also report that HMS Ocean arrives in London today to take part in the Olympics security exercise which is designed to test military capabilities in support of the Games. | Various media report that documents released by the CIA show that Osama bin Laden was frustrated by the crumbling Al-Qaeda terrorist network and how he believed the UK was 'not worth attacking'. | Various papers report that a video showing an Argentinean athlete training on a British war memorial in the Falkland Islands has caused outrage. | The Daily Express has reported that an Afghanistan veteran has written to David Cameron demanding to know why he faces homelessness when he leaves the forces this year. | The Daily Mail has reported that the Coldstream Guards received new Colours from the Queen yesterday.

MOD cyber security
The Guardian today has an article with the headline 'Hackers have breached top secret MOD systems, cyber security chief admits'.

The article is based on an interview with Major General Jonathan Shaw, who until recently was the Senior Responsible Owner for the Defence Cyber Security Programme at the Ministry of Defence. The story headline though is a misrepresentation of the interview as it gives the impression that top secret computer systems have been hacked. This is not the case.

Whilst the MOD recognises that we are not immune to cyber attacks, none of these have impacted upon classified systems. The MOD takes all possible precautions to defend its systems from attack from both unsolicited, for example 'spam' e-mails, and targeted sources.

It would be both misleading and naïve to assume that any system is 100 per cent secure against all possible threats, which is why we take additional steps to detect suspicious activity within our own systems.

Cross-government work is ongoing to incorporate inter-departmental expertise in this area and ensure that our computer systems remain robust and hardened against cyber attacks.

Reference is also made in the article to additional funding being made available in next year's budget for cyber defence, but next year's MOD budget has not yet been set.

Defence in the Media: 3 May 2012

Summary
Various media continue to cover the Typhoon jets arriving at RAF Northolt in West London to take part in a military exercise to prepare for providing security at the Olympics. | Various media also cover President Obama's trip to Afghanistan. | The Telegraph says that the fact Obama's trip was only hours long and followed by a number of attacks on Kabul shows how much work there is still to do in Afghanistan. | The Guardian makes similar points and says that despite the rhetoric about troops coming home as early as November, there will still be twice as many US troops on the ground there than when Obama became President in 2009. | The Sun reports that Prime Minister David Cameron is going to have to abandon his planned medals review because of objections from military chiefs. | The Telegraph reports that Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has urged Germany to put aside the legacy of the Second World War and pledge more support to NATO. | The Telegraph also reports that Home Office officials are considering calling in MOD police and civil servants to man the border at airports and ports after immigration officers voted in favour of strike action.

Radiation at Dalgety Bay
Yesterday, Radio 4's 'Face the Facts' programme criticised the MOD for failing to accept liability for radium contamination at Dalgety Bay in Fife.

The MOD has been working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to develop a final inspection plan into Dalgety Bay and we published this last week. This represents a key milestone in understanding the situation at Dalgety Bay and presents the timetable for the investigation.

Where the MOD is found to be a party responsible, namely the 'Appropriate Person', in whole or in part for contaminated land under the statutory regime, then we will work with the regulator and other responsible and interested parties such as landowners to meet our portion of the liability and carry out voluntary remediation where appropriate.