Web Page sponsored by Harris Corporation
http://www.harrisforcemodernization.com
————————————————————————-
11 Dec 17. Iraq and Syria: OP SHADER. On 1 Dec 17 a Reaper conducted three attacks on terrorists in Eastern Syria and supported seven attacks by coalition aircraft. On 3 Dec 17 a Reaper eliminated a group of terrorists occupying a building in Eastern Syria. On 9 Dec 17 Tornados struck a group of terrorists in Northern Iraq and on the next day a Reaper conducted a strike in Eastern Syria and supported multiple attacks by coalition aircraft. (MoD, 11 Dec 17.)
The Foreign Secretary said that Daesh “no longer holds significant territory in Iraq or Syria” and continued that
“it continues to pose a threat to Iraq from across the Syrian border and as an insurgent presence.”. (Hansard Written Statement (13 Dec 17.)
In his first visit to Iraq the Defence Secretary (The Rt Hon G Williamson CBE) praised UK Service personnel.
RAF aircraft flew against Daesh every day over the Christmas period. (MoD, 5 Jan 18.)
Comment: UK troops have helped train some 60,000 Iraqi Security Forces in Infantry, counter-IED, engineering
and combat medical skills. In addition to personnel on the ground in Iraq, the UK has provided over 1,400 military personnel as part of its three-year involvement. In addition to Iraq, the Defence Secretary visited Kuwait and Cyprus where he met personnel engaged in the campaign against Daesh. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/01, 08 Jan 18)
18 Dec 17. F-35B Lightning II: 14th Aircraft Delivered. The MoD reported (18 Dec 17) that the UK has taken delivery of its 14th F-35B Lightning II. Operated jointly by the RN and the RAF the F-35Bs will be able to operate on land or embarked on one of the aircraft carriers. There are currently some 200 British personnel based at Beaufort, South Carolina, testing the aircraft and getting them ready to arrive in the UK during 2018 as 617 Squadron, at RAF Marham.
Comment: The Defence Committee published (19 Dec 17) a Report: ‘Unclear for take-off? F-35 Procurement’ (HC 326). The Chairman of the Committee is reported as saying: “There has been an unacceptable lack of transparency from the MoD and Lockheed Martin which risks undermining public confidence in the programme.”. The Committee’s Inquiry was launched following a series of articles published in ‘The Times’
during July 2017, on the F-35 programme. The articles reported a number of serious allegations, including claims that the F-35 “is way over budget, unreliable, full of software glitches and potentially unsafe”.
(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/01, 08 Jan 18)
20 Dec 17. Publication: Defence Industrial Policy (Refresh). The Defence Secretary launched (20 Dec 17) the publication of a Defence Industrial Policy ‘refresh’ while visiting the UK Defence Solutions Centre in Farnborough. The updated policy is focused on: considering the wider economic, international and security implications of Defence programmes at an earlier stage, creating the conditions for Industry to be internationally competitive, innovative and secure, as well as making it easier to do business with the MoD (particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises).
Comment: Defence industry exports were valued at £5,900m in 2016 and, according to the trade organisation ADS, supported 142,000 jobs directly and a further 111,000 indirectly. The policy document ‘Industry for Defence and a Prosperous Britain: Refreshing Defence Industrial Policy’ is available via the Government web portal (www.gov.uk).
(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 18/01, 08 Jan 18)
17 Dec 17. Defence Committee: Defence Procurement Report. The Defence Committee published (17 Dec 17) Gambling on ‘Efficiency’: Defence Acquisition and Procurement (HC 431). The report recalls the 2015 SDSR commitment to spend £1,780m on defence equipment and support during the next 10 years but notes that