Of note for Defence this morning, it is being reported widely in the broadcast and print news that families of British service personnel killed in the Iraq War have threatened legal action against Sir John Chilcot
over the significant delays in the publication of the inquiry’s findings on the decision to enter the war.
And as A-Level result are out today, don't forget that the British Army, RAF, and Royal Navy have a huge variety of roles on offer.
Chilcot Inquiry
As reported widely this morning in the broadcast and print news, families of British service personnel killed in the Iraq War have threatened legal action against Sir John Chilcot over the significant delays in the publication of the inquiry’s findings.
The story is carried on the front page of the Daily Mail, in which families are reported to have labelled the delays “morally reprehensible”, with the inquiry so far having lasted six years at a cost to the taxpayer of £10 million. In a comment piece, retired General Sir Michael Rose echoes the criticism by the families, arguing that the delays due to “Maxwellisation” – allowing those criticised in the report to defend themselves before publication – means the inquiry disproportionately represents the interests of politicians and other senior decision-makers over those of bereaved families.
The Daily Telegraph, The Times, and Daily Mirror also report the story, citing disagreements between Sir John Chilcot and Sir Jeremy Heywood over the release of sensitive documents as partly causing the delays.
Ukraine
Following Tuesday and Wednesday’s reporting on the Secretary of State’s visit to Ukraine, The Times and the Independent look at whether the non-lethal training being provided by the UK will prove adequate in supporting Ukraine against Russian-backed separatists. The Times specifically suggests that the methods of IED clearance learned in Afghanistan are too slow for the Ukrainian conflict, while the Independent suggests that the UK will not provide lethal aid and sophisticated weapon systems due to the risks from corruption in the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian forces have been very appreciative of the training that has been provided in recent months. During his visit to the Ukraine, the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
Our training programme for the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to be well-received and highly valued by troops and commanders in the east of the country. Since March, 13 UK training teams have deployed across 8 locations and we expect to have trained around 2,000 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the end of the year.
By adding further much-needed skills and stepping up the pace of our programme we can provide more and better training, improving the resilience of Ukrainian forces and further reducing casualties resulting from the on-going conflict.
Astute
The Daily Mirror reports that the Major Projects Authority has issued an amber/red alert on the £10bn Astute-class submarine project. The paper claims spending in 2014-15 on the project is £87.5m more than planned, and that the MPA assessed that there are major issues in key areas of the project. The article concedes that, after years of delays, the scheme to replace the Trafalgar-class fleet remains on time against a revised schedule.
We are very clear that under the Astute submarine programme, we are committed to delivering seven submarines as a vital component of our maritime forces. A number of Performance Improvement initiatives have been developed to address the main risks and issues, with a focus on programme delivery.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said:
Submarine build programmes are extremely complex and significant steps have been taken to address the issues raised by the MPA. The Astute programme is progressing to deliver world class submarines with the third, of seven, planned to enter service with the Royal Navy towards the end of the year.
HMS Enterprise
The Independent published an article online which reports that HMS Enterprise has not rescued a single person since its deployment to the Mediterranean.
The UK has been at the forefront of the Search and Rescue mission and HMS Bulwark did an incredible job, saving nearly 5,000 thousands lives. But the MOD has always been clear that what we need is a comprehensive plan, going after the criminal gangs, going after the smugglers and going after the owners of the boats.
The wider EU mission has now moved into this phase the UK is making an appropriate contribution; HMS Enterprise is well suited to contribute to the broad maritime capabilities desired by the Italian Operational Commander. This will help us as we seek to understand and build-up a picture of how the operation will go on to seize and disrupt the assets of smugglers, based on international law and in partnership with Libyan authorities.
HMS Enterprise will continue to respond to vessels in distress as is customary for all maritime vessels.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
We've always been clear that to tackle the migrant crisis Europe needs a comprehensive plan that tackles the problem at source.
That means going after the criminal gangs, the smugglers, the owners of the boats – the people who are making money out of this trade in misery.
An MOD spokesperson said:
HMS Bulwark played a vital role in the Mediterranean, saving around 5,000 lives, but we’ve been clear that to tackle the migrant crisis we need to address the problem at source, going after the gangs, smugglers and boat owners who are making money out of this trade in misery. We continue to play a full role in the mission with the survey ship, HMS Enterprise, our Royal Navy Merlin helicopter as well as headquarters staff who are helping to coordinate the wider international response.
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