Sponsored by Lincad
————————————————————————-
11 Jan 19. Why the British army tested robots in muddy fields. Senior British army officers have signaled their intent to accelerate the fielding of several unmanned — and increasingly autonomous systems — following successful army trials at the end of 2018, but much like other forces around the world the United Kingdom faces challenges from how to modify archaic acquisition processes, to overcoming technical issues.
In December, the British army concluded its landmark experimentation exercise known as Autonomous Warrior, in which the service evaluated more than 50 unmanned systems from industry over a month-long period in the south of England.
The exercise, which put the robotic systems through grueling trials in muddy fields and a purpose-built facility for urban fighting, was the first attempt by the British army, as well as industry, to determine how the technology will work in a combat environment. Much like other forces around the world, the service hopes to use robots to carry out the dangerous, and often tedious, elements of combat.
Over 200 troops — made up of infantry, marines, engineers, airmen as well as U.S. Army personnel — were equipped with a variety of robotic and autonomous systems with the aim of improving areas such as combat mass, soldier lethality and overall information gathering.
For example, in one scenario, soldiers used robotic engineering vehicles to clear an obstacle, while a small quadcopter flew overhead to provide infrared imagery before armored infantry rolled in to take an enemy position. Robotic systems with varying levels of autonomy were a key part of the exercise, ranging from radar-equipped drones for detecting buried IEDs, to small two-wheeled robots that are thrown into buildings to search for enemy fighters.
The head of the British army, Gen. Mark Carleton-Smith, has directed the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to speed up the fielding of technology used during the exercise. “His direction to me is very clear,” said Maj. Gen. Chris Tickell, director of capability for the British army. “He wants to see some of this kit in the hands of the field army in 12 to 18 months.
“Success or failure will absolutely hinge on what happens after the experiment,” he added. “And that is about the exploitation and proving to industry that we are as good as our word and we are going to take some of these ideas and put them into the hands of the user.”
For Tickell, an equipment budget of £22bn ($28bn) over the next decade will allow the MoD to purchase new unmanned technologies, but the “trick is to turn the ideas that you see here into tangible capability.”
This may require the MoD “to adjust and even devise new acquisition processes to enable rapid acquisition”, said Trevor Taylor, an expert in defense acquisition at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. “How will requirements, business cases, competitive tendering or ‘partnering,’ testing and safety cases be addressed?”
A related challenge continues to be the British army’s lack of experience using unmanned and autonomous systems, with commanders using the Autonomous Warrior exercise to better understand capability enhancements as well as the inevitable shortfalls.
The officer responsible for coordinating the exercise, Lt Col Nick Serle, told C4ISRNET that while the British army has worked with industry on new technologies it had not previously focused on robots and autonomous systems. “That’s why this year we decided to spend a month on Salisbury Plain just focusing on robotics and autonomous systems,” Serle said. He also commands the British army’s experimentation unit, known as the Infantry Trials and Development Unit.
“This is a real opportunity to bring stuff into the field and really see if it does what industry thinks it’s going to do, but also to see if military users will use it the way [industry] thinks they will use it,” Serle said. “There’s no one single piece of kit that will solve all our problems, it’s a combination of something in the air such as a surveillance asset, something on the ground, perhaps with a weapon on it or just doing logistics, but then it all links through an information system where you can pass that data and make better decisions to generate tempo.”
An issue highlighted by Serle was an increasingly crowded radiofrequency spectrum, especially as several unmanned systems jostle for space to beam back high-resolution data from onboard sensors. “The problem is when they start cutting each other out, we are dealing with physics here, if we want to have great high definition video passing across the battlefield we need to trade somewhere else.”
Taylor noted that not only will there be a need to ensure that the control systems do not interfere with each other, but also that army leaders “will have to be convinced that new systems are not simply too vulnerable to jamming and other disruptive techniques by an adversary.”
A promising development from the exercise is the ability to optionally man a standard vehicle using applique kits that can be fitted within a few hours. Several examples were on display when we visited the exercise in December, including a remote-controlled Warrior infantry fighting vehicle and a lightweight MRZR tactical vehicle.
As part of the experimentation, troops used the vehicles in unintended ways. One U.S. Army soldier noting that the MRZR had been a helpful surveillance tool because of its onboard camera. Squads were also keen to use the UGVs to help in entering buildings and also as modern-day pack horses to carry supplies or people.
“What we have found is that when troops are using these [UGVs], naturally they just want to jump on the vehicle because it goes faster than they can, and you can move groups very quickly on them,” Serle said. He added that for safety reasons the soldiers were not allowed to hop on board during the exercise. “Optionally manned is good, but whether it needs to be optionally manned with a steering wheel and a seat I don’t know, I think you could do it more like a Segway. But there’s no doubt people want to get on them.” (Source: Defense News)
10 Jan 19. Iraq and Syria: OP SHADER. On 19 Dec 18 Tornados destroyed a truck bomb South-east of Hajin in Syria. A Reaper engaged a group of Daesh extremists on 21 Dec 18 in the same area while Tornados struck two IED workshops. The following day a Reaper hit a terrorist heavy weapon and its crew and Tornados bombed three Daesh strong-points. Operations continued South-east of Hajin on 24, 26 and 27 Dec 18 with Typhoons and Tornados attacking various terrorist positions, including a number of Daesh-held buildings. On 28 Dec 18 Tornados destroyed a terrorist stockpile of weapons in the Western deserts of Iraq. Typhoons bombed a tunnel North of Baghdad on 31 Dec 18 and on 1 Jan 19 a Reaper engaged a small group of extremists South-east of Hajin. On 6 Jan 19 a Reaper struck terrorists in Eastern Syria, North of Abu Kamal. (MoD, 10 Jan 19.)
Comment: In a Written Answer (7 Jan 19) the FCO Middle East Minister provided details about assistance the UK has provided to help stabilisation efforts in Iraq. Since 2015 the UK has committed over £30m to help stabilise areas liberated from Daesh. This includes £14.45m towards the UN’s Funding Facility for stabilisation. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
08 Jan 19. Drone Activity: Heathrow Airport. The Metropolitan Police received reports of a drone sighting at Heathrow Airport shortly after 17.00hrs on 8 Jan 19. Departures were suspended until they were safe to resume just after 18.00hrs. A Police spokesman confirmed that: “Following today’s sighting, military assistance has been implemented to support us.”. No further details were given “as this would only serve to potentially undermine their effectiveness”. Subsequently some media titles carried reports (10 Jan 19) on the type of equipment deployed by the RAF.
Comment: The above events at Heathrow followed similar incidents at Gatwick Airport from 19 to 21 Dec 18 which resulted in some 1,000 flights being cancelled. Presenting the outcome of consultations, which will give the Police new powers to tackle the illegal use of drones, the Transport Secretary said (7 Jan 19) “I want to extend my thanks to the Ministry of Defence for moving rapidly to put a new kind of response into the field”. In a letter to the Defence Secretary (9 Jan 19), the Chairman of the Defence Committee asked for clarification regarding the adequacy of contingency planning in the event of “potentially threatening” drone activity. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
07 Jan 19. BREXIT: Contingency Planning. The Armed Forces’ Minister confirmed (7 Jan 19) that the MoD is working with other Government Departments to clarify the requirement for military support in the event of the UK leaving the European Union without a negotiated agreement. The Minister stated that the MoD “is in the process of identifying the most appropriate forces for OP YELLOWHAMMER”.
Comment: ‘OP YELLOWHAMMER’ is the Government codename for contingency planning in the event of a ‘no deal’ BREXIT. In a statement on 19 Dec 18, the Defence Secretary said that the MoD is putting contingency plans in place and there will be “3,500 Service personnel held at readiness, including Regulars and Reserves”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
09 Jan 19. HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH: Dry-dock Maintenance. The Defence Procurement Minister announced (9 Jan 19) that Babcock has been awarded a £5m contract to carry-out the first planned dry-dock maintenance of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. The aircraft carrier will undergo a routine, planned hull survey and maintenance of her underwater systems over a six-week period at the Company’s Rosyth Dockyard.
Comment: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH returned to Portsmouth on 10 Dec 18, following a four-month deployment undertaking carrier trials with two embarked F-35B Lightning aircraft off the US East coast. The aircraft carrier will resume trials with Lightning aircraft “later this year”. The ship is expected to enter operational service in 2020 prior to her first deployment in 2021.Sister-ship HMS PRINCE OF WALES is currently undergoing the final stages of construction at Rosyth and is due to be handed over to the RN later in 2019. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
08 Jan 19. F-35B Lightning Aircraft: Cost and Commitments. The Defence Spokesman in the House of Lords confirmed (8 Jan 19) that the current unit cost for a F-35B aircraft is $115.5m, compared to $161.0m in 2012, and that “we expect the downward cost journey to continue”. The Minister went on to say that it is planned to achieve initial operating capability (one squadron of 12 frontline aircraft and 18 pilots) in December 2020. Full operating capability, with two squadrons, is scheduled for 2023. Each of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will have the capacity to carry 36 aircraft.
Comment: The Minister also confirmed that 207 Squadron, the Lightning Operational Conversion Unit (OCU), will initially comprise five aircraft and “will expand to support continuing force growth into the next decade”. 207 Squadron is due to stand-up on 1 Jul 19.
10 Jan 19. HMS MONTROSE: Deployment to Japan. The Prime Minister announced (10 Jan 19) that HMS MONTROSE will deploy to the Asia-Pacific region later in 2019. The announcement coincided with a visit by the Japanese Prime Minister who was welcomed to the UK with a Guard of Honour at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Comment: HMS MONTROSE is currently on her way from South America to New Zealand, having spent time visiting Tahiti. While in the Asia-Pacific region, the Type 23 frigate will monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of key imports and exports as part of the international pressure campaign against North Korea’s nuclear programme. HMS MONTROSE will eventually head for Bahrain where she will be based for three years, swapping her crew with sister-ship HMS MONMOUTH “every six or so months”. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
10 Jan 19. HMS MERSEY: Channel Deployment. The Armed Forces’ Minister confirmed (10 Jan 19) that the cost of deploying HMS MERSEY to the Channel, in response to a formal Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) request from the Home Secretary, is some £20,000 per day. This figure includes the full crew, maintenance and fuel costs. The money will be reclaimed by the MoD from the Home Office, in line with procedures for MACA requests.
Comment: As recorded in DNA Issue 19/01 HMS MERSEY is supporting Border Force and the Maritime Coastguard Agency in dealing with an increase in migrants trying to cross the Channel from France. The deployment is an interim measure until two Border Force cutters return to UK waters from the Mediterranean. In a House of Commons statement (7 Jan 19) the Home Secretary said that over 500 migrants (mostly Iranian) had attempted to cross the Channel during 2018 and that 80% of these attempts had been made in the last three months of the year. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
07 Jan 19. Sudan: Defence Secretary’s Visit. The MoD reported (7 Jan 19) that the Defence Secretary has visited UK troops deployed on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) where military personnel have been running a Field Hospital and improving infrastructure which will help to keep internally displaced citizens safe. While in Bentiu, the Defence Secretary officially handed-over control of the Level 2 Field Hospital, built and run by UK personnel, to Vietnamese medical staff who are on their first UN deployment. (See also DNA Issue 18/36 dated 15 Oct 18.) During December 2018 UK troops in Bentiu also upgraded 15km of roads used to deliver vital food and aid.
Comment: Over 300 UK troops are deployed across South Sudan as part of UNMISS. The UK is the third largest humanitarian donor to the country, having contributed £40.8m in 2018. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 19/02, 14 Jan 19)
11 Jan 19. Ex-defence chiefs’ Brexit national security warning invokes mixed party responses. A former M16 head and an ex-chief of defence staff have warned in a joint letter that Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal is a threat to national security, and advised Tory MPs to vote against the deal.
Former M16 chief Sir Richard Dearlove and ex-chief of staff for the Ministry of Defence Lord Guthrie wrote in the letter published on the Sky News website: “As a former Chief of the Intelligence Service, with my colleague Lord Guthrie, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff shortly before I was in charge of MI6, we are taking the unprecedented step of writing to all Conservative Party chairmen to advise and to warn you that this Withdrawal Agreement, if not defeated, will threaten the national security of the country in fundamental ways.
“The Withdrawal Agreement abrogates this fundamental contract and would place control of aspects of our national security in foreign hands.”
One of the key issues with the Brexit deal is that the government would hand over UK forces and intelligence services to the European Union. It will also damage the UK’s relationship with NATO and the US, as well as security and intelligent partners in Commonwealth countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand under the Five Eyes alliance, according to the former chiefs.
The latest Brexit national security warning by Dearlove and Guthrie builds on an earlier warning on 29 November 2018 by Sir Richard and Brexiteers including Sir Rocco Forte, Martin Howe QC, Lord Lawson, Lord Trimble and former Royal Marine chief Major General Julian Thompson.
In response to the first letter, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister at the time denied the claims that the deal would threaten national security.
The spokesperson told Reuters: “Nothing in the Withdrawal Agreement or Political Declaration cuts across NATO, our defence and intelligence relationship with the USA or the Five Eyes alliance (with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States). In fact our deal delivers the broadest security agreement the EU has with any of its partners.”
Mixed cross-party responses
Labour Party shadow minister for Cabinet office Jo Platt has responded to the new letter, thanking Dearlove for highlighting the danger of the Brexit deal.
She told Sky News: “Theresa [May]’s flimsy negotiations with regards to our national security aren’t good enough, it’s something we need concrete reassurances on and we haven’t got that with this deal.
“If there’s anything the Labour Party would have done, it would have been to secure something as serious as our national security.”
Meanwhile, Home Affairs committee member and Labour MP Stephen Doughty, who supports a final people’s vote on Brexit, said that while Dearlove was right to challenge the deal, leaving the EU without any agreement would harm national security even more.
“As members of the EU we have the European Arrest Warrant available to arrest and extradite terrorism and serious crime suspects, and we have full access to the key databases on crime suspects across Europe that are accessed thousands of times every day by British police forces,” he told Sky News.
“As soon as we leave the European Arrest Warrant will be weakened as Germany, at the very least, will be constitutionally bound to opt out of extraditions to Britain and we have no long-term guarantee of access to the security data we rely on.”
Liberal Democrats MP Tom Brake said he was astonished by the idea that leaving the EU would boost security.
He told Sky News: “We’ve already lost access to the Galileo [satellite] programme and police departments around the country have time and again warned about the threat Brexit poses to their ability to stop terrorists. Then again, this is the guy who was head of intelligence when we went into Iraq.”
MPs are expected to conduct the ‘meaningful vote’ on the Brexit deal on 15 January. (Source: army-technology.com)
10 Jan 19. Surge in German arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. German arms exports to Saudi Arabia and Turkey rose last year, eclipsing sales in 2017, despite public criticism. The trend follows a question in parliament submitted by the opposition Left party. Germany’s Economic Affairs Ministry disclosed Thursday that German firms sent €160m ($184m) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia between January and October last year.
That was up €50m on the whole of 2017. Berlin only decided on a full stop in November, prompted by the Saudi murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, amid restrictions already applying over Riyadh’s role in war-torn Yemen. Riyadh leads a nine-country coalition backing a Yemeni government opposed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who last month reached a fragile ceasefire arrangement under UN mediation. German weapons exports to Turkey — mostly naval items — more than tripled to €202m in the same timeframe, up on €62m in 2017, the ministry said in its reply to parliament. Erdogan is under international scrutiny over his intention to dislodge Kurdish rebel groups in neighboring war-torn Syria.
‘Shabby’ Berlin arms policy, says Dagdelen
Left party federal lawmaker Sevim Dagdelen, who had submitted the parliamentary question, accused Germany’s armaments industry of making “strong profits with the criminal war in Yemen as well as the aggressive foreign policy of Erdogan,” a reference to Turkey’s president.
Dagdelen told German ZDF public television that the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel must “do everything” to hinder further such exports to Riyadh and Ankara and end what she termed its “shabby” arms policy.
German arms review due mid-year
Last month, Merkel promised to bring forward to mid-2019 a sharpening of Germany’s military export guidelines — in effect since 2000.
A German stop to arms sales to any nation involved in Yemen’s conflict was agreed in March last year as a condition for Germany’s center-left Social Democrats entering another coalition with Merkel’s conservative bloc.
A loophole, however, allowed fulfillment of already-approved sales as German exporters threatened to press Berlin for monetary compensation.
Complex regulatory setup
The 2000 directive, known as “Political Guidelines of the Federal Government for the Export of Military Weapons and Other Armament Products” states that sales should not proceed when sufficient suspicion exists that they can be used for internal repression and systematic human rights violations in the import country.
A matching set of guidelines dated 2008 exist at EU level.
Paragraph 6 of Germany’s Military Armaments Control Law [Kriegswaffenkonttrolgesetz] foresees cancellation of export approval when the danger exists that military weapons can be used during a peace-destabilization act, especially a war of aggression.
Oversight is supposed to be exercised by the German Foreign Office in consultation with Germany’s Defense Ministry.
Churches demand rethink
At the forefront of opposition to German arms sales are Germany’s Protestant and Catholic churches, who in December presented a major study.
It highlighted a trend in which “armaments firms shifted the end production of weapons systems to places where they expected the least resistance to controversial exports” and called for an internationalization of controls.
In a New Year’s message, Protestant EKD church chairman Heinrich Bedford-Strohm said peace could only emerge “when the spiral of violence was broken.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird//www.dw.com)
10 Jan 19. Defence Secretary Sets Sights on Next Century of British Air Power. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has today revealed that Britain’s combat air power has reached new heights whilst speaking in a brand-new hangar displaying one-hundred years of fighter jets.
Speaking at RAF Marham, the Defence Secretary announced the UK now has nine F-35 Lightning jets ready to be deployed on operations around the world. The F-35 Lightnings will form the backbone of the UK’s combat air fleet alongside the Typhoon jets, which the Defence Secretary also announced have now been fitted with a state-of-the-art complex weapons suite to vastly increase its capability.
Under ‘Project Centurion’, worth £425m over the past three years, the Typhoon now has deep strike cruise missile Storm Shadow, air-to-air missile Meteor and the precision attack missile Brimstone at their disposal. It means the jets have boosted capabilities to intercept airborne missiles and strike ground-based targets, seamlessly taking over from the Tornado’s attack role as it nears retirement. Completed on-time and to budget, the upgrades transform the fleet into a world-leading multi-role combat air platform for decades to come. Military engineers and personnel have worked together with hundreds of UK workers from British defence firms including BAE Systems, MBDA and Leonardo to reach the milestone.
The Defence Secretary made the announcement in front of four different aircraft, in a brand-new maintenance hangar at RAF Marham, which he opened today along with a state-of-the-art new training centre.
These facilities, along with resurfaced runways and new landing pads to accommodate the jet’s ability to land vertically, are a key part of the £550m being invested in the Norfolk base.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “As we bid farewell to the RAF’s first century, we are setting our sights on the next 100 years. Our nation is moving into a new era outside the EU, and our huge achievements in air capability make our commitment to a role on the world stage clear to both our allies and our enemies. The incredible F-35 jets are ready for operations, a transformed Typhoon has the power to dominate the skies into the 2040s and we continue to look even further into an ambitious future. The RAF has long shown Britain at its great and global best, and today it lifts our nation to even greater heights.”
The year ahead will see the F-35 Lightning pilots and ground crew continue learning how to operate and maintain the jets in the new centre, which features state-of-the-art simulators, classrooms, and physical aircraft mock-ups.
The facility provides a real-life training environment replicating the challenges that both pilots and crew will face in supporting and operating the F-35 Lightning. Pilots from 617 Squadron, who are already based at RAF Marham, will practice flying the next generation aircraft from four full mission simulators. Having the F-35s ready for operations on time is a huge landmark in what is the biggest defence project in history, which the UK has been a leading partner in for almost 25 years. Around 150 UK personnel had been working with the jets in the US before the first batch of aircraft came to the UK last summer. Not only does the programme offer the UK a game-changing military capability, but with British industry manufacturing 15% of a global orderbook of over 3,000 jets, it supports around 25,000 UK jobs and is projected to be worth around £35bn to the national economy.
The Defence Secretary made the announcement in front of four aircraft, which represent the past and future of British fighter jets. They included the Tornado, which has been in-service since 1979, making its combat debut in the 1991 Gulf War, and which will be retired later this year.
Its unique capabilities have now been transferred to the Typhoon. In addition to the Typhoon and F-35, the Tempest concept fighter jet model was also on show.
The model, which represents an example of what the UK’s future capability might look like, was unveiled last Summer at Farnborough International Air Show, when the Defence Secretary launched the nation’s Combat Air Strategy to ensure the UK remains a world-leader in the sector for years to come. The aim is then for a next-generation capability to have initial operational capability by 2035.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier said: “I am proud to confirm that the RAF’s Combat Air capability has taken yet another significant step towards the realisation of our Next Generation Air Force. With its cutting-edge stealth technology, our F-35s are now ready to deploy on operations and, alongside our combat-proven Typhoon, offer a step-change in our ability to employ air power around the world. Furthermore, the successful integration of Stormshadow, Brimstone and Meteor on Typhoon completes and enhances the transition of world-class capabilities from Tornado and allows a stalwart of the RAF’s Combat Air inventory to retire from service. The successful attainment of these milestones and the potential offered by Project TEMPEST will continue to assure the RAF’s ability to protect the nation, defend the United Kingdom’s interests and support the national prosperity agenda now and well into the future.”
The RAF has already trialled its Typhoon and F-35 Forces’ interoperability. In a series of operational trials, the evidence clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of both platforms when operating alongside one another.
With its larger payload and increased agility and range, the Typhoon will operate in concert with the stealthy F-35 and its next-generation sensors, making the RAF one of the few air forces with the ability to exploit the synergy of 4th and 5th generation combat aircraft and delivering the UK a potent force equipped to counter evolving threats in the global environment. The UK is a world-leader in the combat air sector, which supports over 18,000 highly skilled jobs with a mix of skills and technologies unique in Europe. The sector delivers a turnover in excess of £6bn a year and has made up over 80% of defence exports from the UK over the last ten years (Source: defense-aerospace.com/UK MoD)
09 Jan 19. Canada concludes Nato enhanced air policing mission in Romania. The Canadian Air Task Force (ATF) has concluded its four-month deployment in Romania in support of Nato’s enhanced air policing mission. ATF-Romania is part of Operation Reassurance, the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) mission supporting Nato’s deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. It comprised approximately 135 CAF personnel and five CF-18 Hornets, with members mainly drawn from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, supported by personnel from 2 Air Expeditionary Wing and 3 Wing Bagotville.
Canadian Joint Operations Command commander lieutenant-general Michael Rouleau said: “The Canadian Armed Forces has been actively participating alongside our Nato Allies in measures to maintain security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe.
“As a member of Nato, Canada contributes in keeping the alliance’s airspace safe and secure, and once again fulfilled its commitment to the Nato air policing mission through the hard work of ATF Romania members.”
The ATF also participated in regular training with their Romanian counterparts. The training exercise included flight operations, medical support, flight safety, aircraft maintenance, command and control, and military policing. ATF-Romania commander lieutenant-colonel Tim Woods said: “The region around the Black Sea is very active for air defence, and our air task force was proud to assist the Romanian Air Force and Nato with air policing in this busy region.
“We were able to share some best practices with our Romanian allies and to train for potential future operations together.”
This is the third time Canada’s ATF has been deployed to Romania as part of Operation Reassurance.
The previous two deployments took place in 2014 to the Romanian Air Force 71st Air Base in Campia Turzii, and in 2017 to Constanta.
As part of Operation Reassurance, the CAF provides military capabilities for training, exercises, demonstrations of collective resolve and assigned Nato tasks.
Nato’s enhanced air policing is a peacetime mission aimed at protecting the alliance’s airspace.
The collective task involves round the clock presence of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to respond to airspace violations in the region. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
09 Jan 19. UK think tank calls for Aussie presence on G8. The Henry Jackson Society, a leading public policy think tank from the UK, has called for Australia to play a greater role in international political and strategic affairs, with the 2019 Audit of Geopolitical Capability recognising the nation’s growing international clout. Australia has long been identified as a ‘middle power’ essential to enhancing and sustaining the post-World War Two economic, political and strategic order. The nation has benefited from the global stability and prosperity, however, the rise of superpowers like China and renewed Russian aggressiveness and ambition, combined with the rise of Indo-Pacific Asia and Africa, is reshaping the global order. Building on this, Australia has positioned itself in this new global paradigm to emerge as the eighth most-capable nation behind France, Germany, Japan and Canada, respectively. This positioning saw Australia ranked above major global powers including India and Russia.
The audit recognises the following as the 10 most powerful nations:
- United States;
- United Kingdom;
- China;
- France;
- Germany;
- Japan;
- Canada;
- Australia;
- India; and
- Russia.
The Henry Jackson Society’s chief analyst, James Rogers, said, “In global affairs, large barks often hide small dogs and this seems to be the case with Russia. Once a major geopolitical player, in capability terms it now sits behind Canada, Australia and India.”
As part of renewed focus on geopolitics, the Henry Jackson Society’s Audit of Geopolitical Capability: An Assessment of Twenty Major Powers provides an overview of the rapidly changing world order, identifying and ranking the world’s 20 most powerful nations across a number of metrics, including economic, political, diplomatic and strategic capabilities, namely:
- National base: Captures the underlying and largely unchangeable foundations of national capability, from which any major power must draw to generate the structures and instruments to protect and/or extend both itself and its interests.
- National structure: Includes the “infrastructure” of national capability, i.e. those structures developed to draw off the national base, to generate deployable capabilities and instruments.
- National instruments: The diplomatic and military tools generated by the national structure for self-defence and to facilitate engagement with the wider world.
- National resolve: Covers the largely ‘intangible’ dimension of geopolitical capability, in terms of the overall efficacy of each major power’s central government, as well as its willingness to uphold specific capabilities to defend itself and affect change at the international level.
“In fact, Russia’s decline and Australia’s rise are now so pronounced that there is a prima facie case for Australia to join the G8, taking the seat that Russia has lost,” Rogers added.
The audit recognised a number of contributing factors for Australia’s increasing prominence in the global power rankings, including:
- The nation’s long-term economic stability resulting from a period of 26 years without recession;
- The nation’s relative political stability and well-respected reputation in the international community;
- The robust alliance and economic frameworks Australia has developed over the last 75 years; and
- The Commonwealth government’s focus on modernising and recapitalising the Australian Defence Force and increasing the capability and international competitiveness of the domestic defence industry.
In particular, the government’s $90bn naval shipbuilding plan that will deliver new capabilities to the Royal Australian Navy, including the $35bn SEA 5000 Hunter Class frigates, the $80bn SEA 1000 Attack Class submarines, SEA 1180 Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, which will operate in conjunction with the Canberra Class LHDs and Hobart Class Guided Missile Destroyers, providing unparalleled levels of maritime deterrence and force projection.
Additionally, the Air Force’s transition to a fifth-generation combat force, centred upon the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and other key force multipliers like the P-8A Poseidon, the MQ-4C Triton and future acquisitions of armed unmanned aerial systems, combined with with upcoming Army procurement projects including the LAND 400 Phase 2 Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV) and the to-be-announced LAND 400 Phase 3 Armoured Fighting Vehicle, all serve to position Australia as a potent geopolitical power. (Source: Defence Connect)
08 Jan 19. To build stockpiles of weapons, UK looks at two-pronged approach. When the U.K. rolled out its Modernising Defence Programme report last month, it highlighted a need to increase stores of weaponry to deal with threats from great powers around the globe.
In his speech unveiling the document, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson specifically stated that to “improve the combat effectiveness of our forces, we will re-prioritize the current defense program to increase weapon stockpiles. And we are accelerating work to assure the resilience of our defense systems and capabilities.”
But what does that actually entail? During a Tuesday visit to Washington, Director for Strategic Planning Will Jessett said the U.K. plans to go about increasing weapon stockpiles in two ways.
The first is the easy route: throw money at the problem. And a certain amount — the Ministry of Defence employee wouldn’t say exactly how much — of the recent budget increase given by Parliament will indeed be going toward increasing stockpiles of armaments.
The second part is more difficult, but goes to a throughline for the strategy document: the need to be smarter about how the British military uses its gear.
“We’ve spend a shedload of money on producing the force structure that we have already. We’re not necessarily generating and using it as effectively as we might have done,” Jessett said. “The first thing to do is to make sure that we are making the best of the existing capability that we have, and that [includes] making sure that we’ve got both the weapon stockpiles and the spares to make sure that you can actual[ly] generate the right numbers of aircraft squadrons.”
“So some of this will be the new money out of the couple of billion but a lot of this is going to be telling the services themselves,” he added. “There isn’t a dollar figure, but there are strong incentives now back on the services to say: ‘Guys, you’ve got to [use] the capabilities that you’ve got already.’”
Looking at the Pentagon’s efforts over the last few years shows that may be easier said than done. Pushing to find new efficiencies inside the U.S. Defense Department is an annual affair, with the latest attempt delayed by the removal of Chief Management Officer Jay Gibson and the fallout from the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
And building up missile stockpiles is a logistical challenge for the department right now, with the Pentagon warning last May that producers of vital parts and materials are on the verge of going out of business or beholden to foreign ownership.
Jessett acknowledged the Brexit-shaped elephant in the room, noting that the ability of the MoD to invest funding into new defense priorities will be directly impacted by any deal reached between Britain and the rest of Europe, particularly with foreign-made equipment.
“Amongst the reasons we started to face this affordability delta in 2017 were because exchange rates did fall, relative to where they were in 2015,” he said. “I think back to this [question] about the terms of the deal. If we get a deal that’s OK, I can imagine, personally, exchange rates not just stabilizing but somewhat improving. If not, it is by definition going to add further pressure into this.”
But, he added, “that’s not what we’re planning for at the moment.”
(Source: Defense News)
08 Jan 19. Turkey reaches USD2bn defence export target. Turkey reached its target of generating USD2bn in defence and aerospace exports in 2018, representing a year-on-year (y/y) increase of 17%. The government was vocal of its aim to reach this target throughout the year as it focused on the exportability of its defence wares, which totalled USD2.04bn by the end of 2018, Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency reports. The defence and aerospace industry represented the strongest growth of all industry sectors in Turkey in 2018, the agency added, with the country reporting a record USD168.1bn in total for exports over the year, which represented a 7.1% y/y increase. (Source: Google/IHS Jane’s)
07 Jan 19. Germany to lead Nato’s very high readiness joint task force. Germany has assumed the responsibility of Nato’s very high readiness joint task force (VJTF), which is a joint force consisting of a land component supported by air, maritime and special forces. The VJTF will be able to deploy at short notice when tasked, between two to seven days, to combat threats against alliance sovereignty. The force is part of the alliance’s larger Nato Response Force (NRF), which comprises 40,000 troops. The NRF’s land forces will be controlled by 1st German/Netherlands Corps this year with the entire NRF commanded by admiral James Foggo from Nato’s Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy. Based on a German brigade, the 9th Panzerlehrbrigade, 2019’s VJTF will comprise a multinational brigade of approximately 8,000 troops.
Partners for this rotation include the Netherlands and Norway, which will provide capabilities such as aviation and mechanised infantry while France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania will provide forces.
Nato spokesperson Oana Lungescu said: “The VJTF is a substantial contribution to our collective defence.
“In 2019, nine allies will contribute to the VJTF. This is a strong display of our capabilities and our resolve to work together. Once activated, the VJTF, our spearhead force, is available to move immediately to defend any ally against any threat.”
The creation of VJTF was agreed at the 2014 Nato Wales Summit to enhance the capabilities of the NRF amidst changes in the security environment to the east and south of the alliance’s borders.
The NRF for this year was certified during Exercise Trident Juncture 18, which mainly focused on Nato’s ability to move personnel and armour quickly across Europe. The exercise saw the participation of around 51,000 personnel, including six army brigades and marine ground forces supported by air, maritime and special forces. Last year, the VJTF lead brigade was provided by Italy. (Source: army-technology.com)
————————————————————————-
About Lincad
Lincad is a leading expert in the design and manufacture of batteries, chargers and associated products for a range of applications across a number of different sectors. With a heritage spanning more than three decades in the defence and security sectors, Lincad has particular expertise in the development of reliable, ruggedised products with high environmental, thermal and electromagnetic performance. With a dedicated team of engineers and production staff, all product is designed and manufactured in-house at Lincad’s facility in Ash Vale, Surrey. Lincad is ISO 9001 and TickITplus accredited and works closely with its customers to satisfy their power management requirements.
Lincad is also a member of the Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR), the accreditation system for the aerospace, defence and security sectors, and is certified with Cyber Essentials, the government-backed, industry supported scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber attacks. The majority of Lincad’s products contain high energy density lithium-ion technology, but the most suitable technology for each customer requirement is employed, based on Lincad’s extensive knowledge of available electrochemistries. Lincad offers full life cycle product support services that include repairs and upgrades from point of introduction into service, through to disposal at the end of a product’s life. From product inception, through to delivery and in-service product support, Lincad offers the high quality service that customers expect from a recognised British supplier.
————————————————————————-