12 Jan 15. Sierra Leone: OP GRITROCK. The Department for International Development transferred £28.8m to the MoD. Approximately half of this figure covered the deployment of RFA Argus and three Merlin helicopters. (Written Answer (WA), 12 Jan 15.) HQ 11 Infantry Brigade is to take on a central command role, taking over from 104 Logistics Brigade. Some 40 personnel from 11 Infantry Brigade will make up the command element of the Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force in Sierra Leone. (MoD, 14 Jan 15.)
Comment: ‘RAF News’ (16 Jan 15) reported that there are currently 800 UK and Canadian military personnel supporting the aid mission in Sierra Leone, providing the infrastructure for 700 beds. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/04, 19 Jan 15)
12 Jan 15. Iraq: OP SHADER. The UK is making a major contribution to the coalition, having deployed sophisticated surveillance, strike and transport aircraft to the region. As at 11 Jan 15 the RAF had carried out 99 air strikes in Iraq, second only to the US. The UK has also provided training and equipment to Kurdish forces. (Oral Answer (OA), 12 Jan 15.) British Forces have continued to conduct air Operations to assist the Iraqi Government in its fight against ISIL. ISIL has suffered further losses thanks to RAF air strikes conducted in recent days. (MoD, 13 Jan 15.) Tornado GR4 and Reaper aircraft from 83 Expeditionary Air Group have taken out some key strategic targets restricting ISIL movements in the last few weeks while supporting the Peshmerga Forces. (RAF, 14 Jan 15.) Coalition commanders claim Iraqi and Peshmerga Forces have made a number of key advances, liberating Rabiya on the Syrian border and the town of Zuma. (RAF News, 16 Jan 15.)
Comment: House of Commons Hansard for 12 Jan 15 includes a record of the Oral Answers given to Defence Questions on Iraqi Forces. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/04, 19 Jan 15)
15 Jan 15. Afghanistan: OP RESOLUTE SUPPORT/OP TORAL. From 1 Jan 06 to 31 Dec 14, 2,188 personnel were Wounded in Action and 7,400 were aeromedically evacuated. During December 2014 there were no people Wounded in Action but six were aeromedically evacuated. (Def Stats, 15 Jan 15.) There are currently no plans to deploy any 39 Squadron personnel to Afghanistan in 2015. (WA, 12 Jan 15.) [39 is a Reaper Squadron.] The UK element of the NATO RESOLUTE SUPPORT mission is known as OP TORAL and amounts to about 470 military personnel. Reservists will be an important and integral part of the UK commitment under OP TORAL. (OA, 12 Jan 15.)
Comment: The ISAF flag was brought back from Kabul to NATO HQ in Brussels on 15 Jan 15. The ISAF mission was completed on 31 Dec 14 when the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces assumed full security responsibility throughout Afghanistan. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/04, 19 Jan 15)
16 Jan 15. Defence Spending: NATO Target. In a Written Answer (14 Jan 15) the Defence Secretary said that: “The Government is committed to maintaining Defence spending at 2% of GDP and we will meet the target in 2015-16.”
Comment: At the NATO Summit (4/5 Sep 14) members pledged to halt the decline in Defence spending. Countries spending less than 2% of GDP on Defence aim to move towards this target within a decade.
5. Pakistan: Gifting of Equipment The Defence Secretary announced (14 Jan 15) that the UK intends to provide Pakistan with a package of surplus counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) equipment, as a gift. Pakistan faces a severe threat from IED attacks and has sought assistance from the UK in tackling this threat and developing the capabilities of its Security Forces. The gifting is due to be completed in the first quarter of 2015. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/04, 19 Jan 15)
Comment: Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General R Sharif, visited London in order “to discuss regional security issues and steps to deepen the Defence relationship between both Countries”. The Defe