MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
17 Jun 08. BAE Systems announces its intention to acquire an existing industrial facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan, to support the company’s five-year, $58.4m expansion of its Land & Armaments operating group. The proposed site for BAE Systems’ new facility is the former TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. plant located at 34201 Van Dyke Rd. in Sterling Heights. BAE Systems has an option agreement with TRW while the company conducts due diligence to fully assess existing environmental impacts and ensure the site can support the proposed building plans. When the due diligence period is complete and any potential issues are resolved, BAE Systems will proceed to take possession of the 81 acre site.
18 Jun 08. General Dynamics Electric Boat will christen New Hampshire (SSN-778), the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced nuclear attack submarine, at a ceremony at its shipyard here on Saturday, June 21, at 11 a.m.
PERSONNEL
16 Jun 08. Extra UK troops for Afghanistan. British troop numbers in Afghanistan will increase by 230 to a new high of more than 8,000 by next spring, Defence Secretary Des Browne has told MPs. The new troops will boost protection for UK personnel, improve Afghan security training and aid reconstruction work. Mr Browne said security had improved but the Taleban had changed tactics. The number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 reached 102 last week. British casualties have crept up and are now second only to the US in the number of fatalities. Furthermore, the casualty rates for Britons serving in Afghanistan are now higher than those in Iraq. There are currently 53,000 Nato troops in Afghanistan. The announcement takes the UK’s commitment from 7,800 troops – based in Kabul, Kandahar and Helmand – to 8,030. (Source: BBC)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
14 Jun 08. Queen’s Birthday Honours: Defence Council Members. The First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Air Staff were appointed Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
DEFENCE COUNCIL
Politicians
1. Secretary of State for Defence (Defence Secretary), Chairman of the Council: The Right Honourable D H Browne MP.
2. Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Armed Forces’ Minister): The Right Honourable R W Ainsworth MP.
3. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence Equipment and Support (Defence Equipment Minister): The Right Honourable Baroness Taylor of Bolton.
4. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans (Junior Defence Minister): J D Twigg Esq MP.
Military Members
5. Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS): Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup GCB AFC ADC.
6. Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and First Sea Lord: Admiral Sir Jonathon Band GCB ADC.
7. Chief of the General Staff (CGS): General Sir Richard Dannatt KCB CBE MC ADC Gen.
8. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS): Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy GCB CBE DSO ADC.
9. Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS): General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman GBE KCB ADC Gen.
10. Chief of Defence Matériel (CDM): General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue KCB CBE.
Civil Servants
11. Permanent Under Secretary of State (PUS), Secretary of the Council: Sir Bill Jeffrey KCB.
12. Second Permanent Under Secretary of State (2nd PUS): Sir Ian Andrews CBE TD.
13. Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA): Professor M Welland FRS FREng.
14. Finance Director (FD): T Woolley Esq CB
09 Jun 08. Government Communications HQ (GCHQ): Change of Director. The Foreign Secretary announced (9 Jun 08) that Mr I (Iain) Lobban is to succeed Sir David Pepper as Director GCHQ when he retires in July 2008. Mr Lobban is a graduate of the MoD Higher Command and Staff Course and has been Director General Operations at GCHQ for the past four years.
Comment: It is Government policy neither to confirm nor deny whether any individual has or had any connection to the Intelligence and Securit