15 Sep 09. Defence Secretary: Major Speech. The Defence Secretary gave a wide-ranging speech (15 Sep 09) at King’s College, University of London. The Minister said that his first priority was Operations in Afghanistan and his second the preparation of the UK’s Forces for the future.
Comment: The Defence Secretary’s speech is the first step towards a Defence Green Paper (or discussion document), which will in turn lead to a Defence Review early in the next Parliament. A transcript of the Defence Secretary’s speech is available to subscribers on request. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/35, 21 Sep 09)
01 Sep 09. Nuclear Deterrent: Replacement Costs. The Defence Secretary reiterated (1 Sep 09) that the procurement costs of the replacement for the Vanguard Class submarines, as set out in the 2006 White Paper, will be between £11,000m and £14,000m at 2006/07 prices. Work is progressing “to assess whether continuous at sea deterrence could be achieved with a three boat fleet and at what cost”.
Comment: Following some eccentric media reporting, the MoD issued further clarification (18 Sep 09). The 2006 White Paper set out the Trident replacement costs (rather than just the boats) as £15,000m to £20,000m. The possibility of maintaining the deterrent with three boats, rather than four, remains under consideration. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/35, 21 Sep 09)