23 Jun 16. European Union (EU) Referendum: Unexpected Result. A referendum on membership of the EU was held throughout the UK (23 Jun 16). Of the 46,501,241 people eligible to vote, 33,551,713 (72.2%) expressed a valid opinion. 51.9% voted to leave the EU and 48.1% voted to remain. The Prime Minister had urged the British public ‘to remain’ but, following the above result, he announced that he would leave office in the near future.
Comment: In the words of one respected journalist: “The vote dismayed Britain’s allies and pitched the Country into a period of deep political and economic uncertainty.”.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is to hold a post-referendum evidence session on Tue 28 Jun 16. Details will be available in due course (www.parliament.uk/facom). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 16/25, 27 Jun 16)
22 Jun 16. Iraq and Syria: OP SHADER. On 16 Jun 16 Typhoons provided close air support to Iraqi forces fighting to liberate Fallujah and on the next
day a Reaper attacked two terrorist targets in Northern Iraq. On 18 Jun 16 Tornados destroyed a Daesh Headquarters complex in North Western Iraq while Reapers engaged terrorists in Northern Iraq and Syria. Typhoons attacked six Daesh positions in central Fallujah on 19 Jun 16 as Tornados and a Reaper attacked five further targets in Northern Iraq. Tornados, Typhoons and a Reaper were all in action on 20 Jun 16 while
Typhoons and a Reaper attacked six targets in Northern Iraq on 21 Jun 16. (MoD, 22 Jun 16).
Comment: On 22 Jun 16 the MoD claimed that, since the start of the Operation to liberate Fallujah, RAF aircraft have engaged some 96 targets in and around the city and neighbouring areas in the Euphrates valley. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 16/25, 27 Jun 16)
20 Jun 16. Mediterranean: OP SOPHIA. Following adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2292 of 14 Jun 16, the European Council (20 Jun 16)
confirmed agreement to extend the mandate of the EUNAVFOR MED OP SOPHIA mission, against human smugglers in the Southern Central Mediterranean, until 27 Jul 17. Two new tasks were confirmed: training of the Libyan Coastguards & Navy and contributing to the implementation of the UN arms embargo off the coast of Libya in order to limit arms flows to Daesh and other terrorist groups.
Comment: Agreement to extend the mandate of OP SOPHIA was reached by the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 23 May 16. 27 Jun 16. The Prime Minister stated (27 May 16) that a warship would be deployed to the South Central Mediterranean “once the relevant permissions and UN Security Council Resolutions are in place.” In addition the UK would contribute a training team once a detailed plan had been agreed with the Libyan authorities. The UK currently contributes the survey ship HMS ENTERPRISE to OP SOPHIA. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 16/25, 27 Jun 16)
17 Jun 16. Nuclear Weapons: Costings. The Defence Procurement Minister said (17 Jun 16) that the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme (NWCSP) had started following an announcement on 19 Jul 05. The key stakeholders in the NWCSP are the MoD and the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). Expenditure at AWE in the decade from 2005 to 2015 totalled £8,449m including £998m for the financial year 2014-15. There are some 5,000 employees at the AWE.
Comment: Despite suggestions to the contrary, no scientists from the US National Nuclear Weapons Laboratories are seconded to the NWCSP although a US engineer and a Serviceman are attached. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 16/25, 27 Jun 16)
15 Jun 16. Submarine Service: Annual Conference. 200 submariners of all ranks gathered for their annual conference at HM Naval Base Clyde on 15 Jun 16. The theme for the day was: The Submarine today, tomorrow and towards 2030; against the background of Clyde becoming the RN’s Single Integrated Submarine Operating Base by 2020. The Base will accommodate
the last two Trafalgar Class boats by 2019 while the final