Falkland Islands
It is widely reported, including in The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail and The Guardian, that Britain is to boost its defenceson the Falkland Islands following Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s statement to the House yesterday. Reports state that two Chinook helicopters are to be returned to the islands and the air defence system updated. All articles report that £180 million will be spent improving the defence assets on the Islands.
Read the Defence Secretary’s full statement here:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm150324/debtext/150324-0001.htm#15032449000202
Women in the RAF
The Times includes a feature on women in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the diverse range of jobs available in the forces. It states that engineers and technicians make up almost half of the RAF workforce. The article writes that women make up 13.9% of the regular workforce in the RAF and it has been in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women since 2012. Sqn Ldr Kate Macartney, a Senior Engineering Officer on 3(Fighter) Sqn, speaks about her experiences in the Forces and the opportunities available, saying:
My team is a broad spectrum of race, gender and age and includes people from their early fifties to late teens; difference isn’t anything anyone thinks about.” SAC Polly McKinlay, an Avionic Technician on 29(Reserve) Sqn, said women had no special treatment in the battle zone. “There are no barriers to what you can do or where the job can take you.
Bermondsey bomb
Wide coverage continues of the removal of the Second World War bomb that has been found on a building site in Bermondsey. The articles report that residents have returned to their homes after the safety cordon had been removed last night once the bomb had been removed. The 1,000lb device has been taken to Kent under police escort for disposal this morning. All articles include a range of images of the Royal Logistics Corps at work and show the ‘igloo’ that was built over the bomb to absorb any explosion.
Armed Forces Service Complaints System
A short article in The Sun carries comments from Nicola Williams, Service Complaints Commissioner for the Forces, saying that bullying and harassment in the forces is still taking place. It states that 615 allegations of unfairness were dealt with in 2014.
In response, Anna Soubry, Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, said:
I welcome this report which is the first to be published by Nicola Williams as Commissioner. Although I am disappointed that the SCC is not yet able to say the system is working as it should, I am pleased that progress is being made – in particular the action taken by all three Services in tackling the causes of complaints and the way they are handled.
The report also recognises that reforms that have been set out to simplify the complaints process and to strengthen the role of SCC into that of an Ombudsman signal a significant change to the way service complaints are handled. The MOD will now consider fully the recommendations made in the report and respond formally in due course. I would like to echo Ms Williams’s praise for the work done by Dr Atkins during her time in post.
US in Afghanistan
The Financial Times, Daily Telegraph and Wall Street Journal report on the announcement by Barrack Obama yesterday that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan will be slower than expected following a request from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. The US will no longer meet its original goal of reducing troop levels to about 5,000 this year.
Image of the day
Army Bomb disposal experts are currently dealing with an unexploded air drop World War 2 era SC 250kg German Bomb near the Shard in Bermondsey. The bomb will have been dropped over London by the Luftwaffe in the 1940s but unusually did not detonate. It has lain undisturbed deep in the ground for 70 years but was uncovered today during construction works.
Bomb disposal teams from Shorncliffe Troop 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Royal Logistic Corps and sappers from 36 Engineer Regiment Explosive Ordnance Disposal are involved in excavating the device so that it can be safely diffused. The operation to excavate the device will take all night as its position is awkward. The fuse is underneath and trenches will have to be dug carefully beneath the bomb in order to access the fuse. In the interim, Royal Engineers are building a safety Hesco ÒiglooÓ around the device to limit any explosion. Once the fuse is revealed the Royal Logistic Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts will attempt to make the bomb safe.
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