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EUROPE
16 Mar 10. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Captain from 1st Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment died in Selly Oak Hospital on 15 Mar 10, as a result of wounds sustained in an explosion in Musa Qal’ah District on 21 Feb 10. A Lance Corporal and a Private from 1st Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment were killed in an explosion North of Musa Qal’ah on 16 Mar 10. UK deaths since the start of Operations on 7 Oct 01 thus rose to 275, of whom 242 were killed as a result of hostile action. (MoD, 16 Mar 10.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 28 Feb 10, 1,143 UK personnel were Wounded in Action and 3,156 were aeromedically evacuated. (MoD, 17 Mar 10.) From 16 to 28 Feb 10 the figures were 17 and 41.
Reaper remotely piloted air systems are operating full-time (24/7) in providing air intelligence. The systems are flown by 39 Squadron at Creech AFB in Nevada. (RAF update, 13 Mar 10.)
Territorial Army (TA) soldiers make up some 10% of the UK force: 3rd Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment are all Reservists. The 3rd Battalion is serving alongside the Regular 1st Battalion of the same Regiment in Musa Qal’ah. (MoD, 15 Mar 10.)
From October 2009 to February 2010 inclusive, Task Force Helmand successfully neutralised 768 improvised explosive devices (IED). (Ministerial Answer (MA), 16 Mar 10.)
The British Military Stabilisation Support Team has been refurbishing schools in and around Musa Qal’ah. Among the nearly 2,000 students, the lack of girls is noticeable. (MoD, 17 Mar 10.)
From the start of Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq until 10 Mar 10, 17 very seriously/seriously injured personnel died following repatriation. (MA, 17 Mar 10.)
The capacity of the Bastion Field Hospital is regularly reviewed as part of Operational planning. This planning takes into account the threat posed by IED. (MA, 18 Mar 10.)
Military and MoD civilian staff based in Afghanistan receive appropriate training to recognise and report corruption. (MA, 18 Mar 10.)
Civil Servants and contractors are an important resource on Operations and are principally used to complement military capacity and capability. (MA, 18 Mar 10.)
Soldiers from 28 Engineer Regiment completed Route Trident, a six and a half metre-wide road running for eight kilometres to link three new Patrol Bases. A journey which previously took 36 hours, can now be completed in under 30 minutes. (MoD, 19 Mar 10.)
Comment: A Ministerial Answer (House of Lords, 18 Mar 10) detailed the extra facilities which are to be made available for Service casualties. The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court is to have the number of ‘ward beds’, for the care of complex trauma and neurological patients, increased from 66 by up to 30 more. Greater use of the existing 15 Regional Rehabilitation Units, for the less seriously injured, is also foreseen (easing the pressure on Headley Court). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/12, 22 Mar 10)
16 Mar 10. A400M Transport Aircraft: Order Reduced. During the Defence Industry Debate (16 Mar 10 – Item 9), the Defence Equipment Minister said: “In Berlin, we were able to reach agreement on the terms and conditions for the renegotiation of [the