[Vicente de Lisboa]

Painful, but not fatal

Oct 19th 2010, 18:36 by M.S. | LONDON

"PAIN all around, but nothing fatal" appears to have been the guiding principle of Britain’s strategic defence and security review (SDSR), the results of which were announced by David Cameron on October 19th. The budget cuts – 8% in real terms over the next four years – were not as swingeing as they might have been nor nearly as deep as the Treasury was hoping for. But the cash squeeze is nevertheless intense.

There were several reasons why Mr Cameron decided at the last moment to tell the Treasury to back off. Chief among them: a doughty rearguard action fought (at some personal political risk) by the defence secretary, Liam Fox; the persistent demands of the campaign in Afghanistan; pressure from the Americans not to go too far; and the sheer riskiness of abandoning important capabilities in an uncertain world. The scope for radical cuts, Mr Cameron wisely concluded, was severely limited.

The headlines are that the army will eventually shrink to 95,500 soldiers from today’s 102,500 while losing about half its heavy armour and artillery, most of which is in Germany, still awaiting the Soviet armies that never came. It will be able to sustain a 7,000-strong brigade permanently in the field, significantly less than the 9,500 soldiers currently deployed in Afghanistan. But that brigade will, however, be better protected and more mobile, with new medium-armoured vehicles and more helicopters.

The navy and the air force will also see manpower reductions – about 5,000 in each case. Most controversially, the navy will get its two new aircraft carriers, since cancelling one or both would have cost more than completing them, although its fleet of destroyers and frigates will shrink from 23 to 19. The first of the carriers will carry only helicopters and will be held in reserve once the second becomes available in 2020. It may even be sold, or shared with the French.

That second carrier will be fitted with catapults and arrestor hooks, which the previous government astonishingly deemed unnecessary. The original plan was to outfit the ships with jump-jet versions of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the new arrangements will allow the carrier to field a cheaper and more capable version that takes off and lands in the traditional way. It will also be able to host the planes of Britain’s French and American allies. In the meantime, though the government has decided to scrap the existing, modest, carrier strike capacity by taking HMS Ark Royal, the Navy's flagship, out of service, along with its Harrier aircraft. That will leave a gap in carrier strike capability lasting ten years.

The Harriers will be sent to the knacker’s yard prematurely because Dr Fox has granted a reprieve to the Tornado ground attack fleet, which many had expected to be quickly retired, because of its greater usefulness in Afghanistan. By 2020, however, the air force should be down to just two types of fast jet, the JSF and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Sensibly, by keeping the existing fleet of four nuclear-armed submarines going for a bit longer – the oldest will now come out of service in 2028 – the decision to start building their replacements can be put off until 2016, saving a useful £1.2 billion. Some will suspect, probably wrongly, that the main reason for delaying was to pander to the Liberal Democrats, who are rather less keen on maintaining Britain's nuclear missiles than their Tory coalition partners.

The review was not entirely a tale of cutbacks and woe. Some areas will actually get more money. Britain’s special forces, which are much-valued by the Americans, will get a boost from better kit, while £500m has been earmarked to beef up defences against computer attacks. With international terrorism still identified as the most immediate threat to the country’s security, the intelligence and security services, which have seen their budgets tripled in recent years, will only have to make small “efficiency” economies.

There is plenty for critics of this hastily-conducted, financially-driven SDSR to snipe at. In particular, building a second carrier when the navy desperately needs smaller surface ships to patrol the sea lanes looks lopsided. But frigates can be easily built at a later date if they are needed, whereas the carriers are a once in 50 years decision. There is also a lot of detail still to come, because the agreements reached are only partial. But the government has made a goodish fist of a rotten hand. Britain will still have the fourth biggest defence budget in the world and in will be one of the few NATO countries to meet the alliance’s target of spending 2% of its GDP on defence. Critically, Mr Cameron promised that military spending should start to grow again in real terms after 2015. Britain may not be quite so willing to throw itself into every fight going as it has been in the recent past, but this SDSR should be seen more as a tactical retreat than a surrender.

The Economist

Rule Britannia! Britannia Rules the Waves!
...mas sem Porta-Aviões.  

[P44]

Permanent Secretary, Sir Bill Jeffrey and Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup together with the Service Chiefs and other members of the Defence Board have been closely involved throughout the Review.

There will be some major changes to force elements of all three Services to enable them to meet future force structures.

The Review will lead to reductions in manpower over the next five years across all three Services and the civilians in Defence:
-- The Royal Navy will reduce by around 5,000 personnel
-- The Army by 7,000
-- The RAF by 5,000,
-- Civilians by 25,000

No changes will be made to front line Army, Royal Marine or RAF Regiment Units while operations in Afghanistan continue.

Other impacts on the three Services will include:

Royal Navy
The Royal Navy will have a number of capabilities, including the Trident Force, based around the four Vanguard-class submarines, one of which is always on patrol.

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier will give the UK political and military flexibility in responding to crises. It will routinely have 12 Joint Strike Fighters, plus helicopters embarked for operations. The aircraft's 700 mile range over land and sea, will enable it to carry out a broad range of missions.

The Royal Navy will be equipped with 19 frigates and destroyers to protect a Naval Task Group and meet our standing commitments at home and overseas. These will include six new Type 45 destroyers and new Type 26 frigates.

This force, though smaller than currently, will provide military flexibility and choice across a variety of operations from full-scale warfare, through coercion and reassurance to presence, and maritime security (in particular protecting trade and energy supplies).

Seven new Astute class submarines will contribute to the protection of our nuclear deterrent and Naval Task Groups.

3 Commando Brigade will provide one element of our very high readiness response force.
The Royal Marines will be able to land and sustain a Commando Group by helicopter, and with protective vehicles, logistics and command and control support from a specialist landing and command ship.

In order to meet this new structure the Royal Navy will:
-- Reduce Royal Navy service personnel by around 5,000 to a total of about 30,000 by 2015, and with an assumption, for now, of a requirement of about 29,000 by 2020;
-- Decommission HMS Ark Royal immediately;
-- Decommission either the helicopter landing ship HMS Ocean or HMS Illustrious following a short study of which would provide the most effective helicopter platform capability, and place one landing and command ship at extended readiness;
-- Decommission four frigates and a Bay-class amphibious support ship;
-- Rationalise the Royal Navy estate.

Army
The Army will be structured around five multi-role brigades each including reconnaissance, armoured mechanised and light infantry forces with supporting units of equipment and enablers. We will keep one brigade at high readiness available for an intervention operation and four in support to ensure our ability to sustain an enduring stabilisation operation.

The Army will retain 16 Air Assault Brigade, a high-readiness intervention brigade with supporting units, trained and equipped to be one of the first ground forces to intervene in a new conflict.

The Army will also retain the ability to command operations at very senior level through the UK-led Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) headquarters (part of NATO). And we will retain our capacity to deliver one UK, fully deployable, senior level (divisional) headquarters, and the ability to regenerate a second deployable divisional headquarters.

In order to meet this new structure the Army will:
-- Reduce by around 7,000 to about 95,000 personnel by 2015, but with no changes to combat units involved in Afghanistan, and an assumption, for now, of a requirement of about 94,000 by 2020;
-- Reduce by one the number of deployable brigades, as we restructure to five multi-role brigades;
-- Reduce our holdings of Challenger 2 tanks by around 40% and our heavy artillery by around 35%;
-- Significantly reduce our non-deployable regional administrative structure;
-- Rationalise our deployable headquarters by reducing the communications and logistics support to Headquarters ARRC and convert the second of our operational divisional headquarters to a force preparation role.

Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force's future capabilities will include a fleet of two of the most capable fast jets anywhere in the world: a modernised multi-role Typhoon fleet and the Joint Strike Fighter to provide Combat ISTAR capabilities.

It will also have strategic surveillance and intelligence platforms as part of our broader ISTAR capability including: E-3D Sentry AWACS to provide airborne command, control and surveillance; Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft to provide independent strategic intelligence gathering; and a range of remotely piloted air systems.

The air transport fleet will be upgraded with the addition of A400M transport aircraft and A330 future strategic tanker and transport aircraft as well as the planned C17 fleet. These aircraft will enable us to deploy rapidly, support and recover UK forces and their equipment anywhere in the world, and provide airborne refuelling to maximise the range and endurance of our aircraft.

The support helicopter capability (both RAF and RN) will also provide battlefield mobility from land and sea, based on Chinook heavy and Merlin medium-lift helicopters, able to move personnel and equipment rapidly over considerable distances. (N.B.: Cameron told the House of Commons that 14 new Chinooks would be ordered, bringing the total fleet to 60 aircraft—Ed.)

In addition, RAF Regiment Force Protection squadrons at high readiness will protect deployed aircraft and personnel in hostile areas and provide elements of Defence's Joint CBRN detection capabilities.

In order to meet this new structure the Royal Air Force will:
-- Reduce by around 5000 personnel to about 33,000 by 2015, and with an assumption, for now, of a requirement of about 31,500 by 2020;
-- Withdraw the C-130 Hercules transport fleet ten years earlier than planned as we transition to the more capable and larger A400M;
-- Withdraw the Sentinel surveillance aircraft once it is no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan;
-- Rationalise the RAF estate;
-- Retain Tornados, which will continue to operate in Afghanistan;
-- Remove Harrier from service in the transition to a future fast jet force of Typhoon and JSF. This will mean a gap for carrier fast jet operations. JSF, like Harrier, will be operated jointly by RAF and Royal Navy pilots;
-- Not bring into service the Nimrod MRA4;
-- Withdraw VC-10 and the three variants of Tristar aircraft from 2013 as we transition towards the more capable A330 Future Strategic Transport and Tanker Aircraft.

A study will be undertaken by the leadership of the regular and Reserves into the future role and structure of the Reserves. We expect this study to take about six months.

Changes on this scale cannot be managed by the usual manning regulators. A redundancy scheme will be run for Service Personnel and a paid Early Release Scheme for civilians in accordance with the usual arrangements for such schemes, including - in the case of civilians - consultation with the Trade Unions.

Much effort will now be required to work through the detailed implications of the various SDSR decisions and their implementation.

Part of this will be the work of the Defence Reform Unit, which is looking at the organisation of MOD and will report in July 2011. This will ensure Defence is delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible. Reforms will be implemented as the review progresses.

-ends-

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... grams.html

[Cabeça de Martelo]

Há aqui alguns aspectos curiosos, o RMC que segundo alguns planos iriam passar para o Exército, passando a fazer parte de uma Super Brigada em conjunto com os Pára-quedistas, conseguiram manter-se onde estão práticamente incolumes.

O Exército vai ter brigadas com meios mecanizados e de Infantaria Ligeira (motorizados no género da nossa Brigada de Intervenção?). É algo um pouco estranho, mas deixo esse tipo de julgamento a pessoas que sabem do que estão a falar.

RAF com F-35 A ou C?

[borisdedante]

Up to 100 pilots to be sacked as part of a $480m cost-cutting exercise

http://www.aviationnews.eu/2011/02/14/u ... -exercise/

[Cabeça de Martelo]

Scotland Unveils Defense Plans If It Splits From U.K

November 29, 2013
LONDON — The Scottish government has outlined plans for the country’s national defense if the country votes to declare independence from the United Kingdom next September.

Outlining its plans in a 670-page white paper entitled “Scotland’s Future,” the Scottish National Party—which is leading the calls for independence—plans to give the British government until 2021 to dismantle the infrastructure in Scotland that supports the U.K.’s nuclear capability, as well as establish its own defenses with air, land and marine forces.

Referencing the U.K.’s Trident-based deterrent, the document states that billions of pounds have been “wasted on weapons that must never be used and, unless we act now, we risk wasting a further £100 billion [$160 billion], over its lifetime, on a new nuclear weapons system.”

“This Scottish Government would make early agreement on the speediest safe removal of nuclear weapons a priority. This would be with a view to the removal of Trident within the first term of the Scottish Parliament following independence [in 2016].” This statement, based on parliamentary rules, would give London until 2021 to move the nuclear deterrent from Faslane Naval Base on the Clyde.

“Westminster’s commitment to nuclear weapons leaves other aspects of our defense weakened,” the document adds, pointing to the U.K.’s lack of maritime patrol capability and the fact there are no navy surface ships based in Scottish waters.

“There is greater risk to safety and security in Scotland’s airspace and waters as a result,” the white paper adds.

The document states that if Scotland becomes independent, it would inherit a share of the U.K.’s defense assists, which would help it establish a defense force. According to the document, a 2007 U.K. Defense Ministry report estimated that the total value of its assets and investments was £93 billion. The document states that based on population, Scotland’s share of those assets would be around £7.8 billion. The Scottish government believes it could fund the country’s defense and security for £2.5 billion a year, with a focus on maritime capabilities including the rapid re-establishment of an airborne maritime patrol capability.

“A detailed specification of requirements will be developed as a priority, and final numbers of aircraft required will depend on this,” the white paper states.

Scotland’s total forces could reach 15,000 regular and 5,000 reserve personnel over the decade following independence, with the air force using 12 Eurofighter Typhoons, for quick reaction alert, and a tactical air transport squadron using six C-130J Hercules, the document claims. There also would be a helicopter squadron.

An independent Scotland also would have to establish capabilities to deal with cyberwarfare and counter-terrorism.

Reports suggest that many Scots are dubious about the country seceding from the rest of the U.K. Recent opinion polls suggest that the “No” campaign has the lead, particularly as senior ministers in Westminster point out that Scots will be worse off in terms of taxation under independence.

The Scottish government hopes to hold the referendum in the fall of 2014, and if the people vote “Yes,” it is the administration’s intention is to have a constitutional platform in place for Scotland to become independent by March 2016.

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