Modern warfare ‘accelerating away’ from Ministry of Defence due to tech upgrade delays, say MPs
Modern warfare is “accelerating away” from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) due to delays in technology upgrades, MPs have claimed.
A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the department had been “struggling for years” to update systems, such as those needed by UK warships and satellites, meaning some projects were in danger “of being obsolescent on delivery”.
Chair of the committee, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, said the MoD was “frankly not up to the task it faces”, and called for a “significant cultural change” to bring the systems up to date and to be prepared for modern battles ahead.
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The report comes days after Sky News revealed a senior US general had privately told Defence Secretary Ben Wallace the British Army was no longer regarded as a top-level fighting force.
Sources told security and defence editor Deborah Haynes that the decline in war-fighting capability – following decades of cuts to save money – needed to be reversed faster than planned in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
Mr Wallace told Sky News that the army had “fallen behind its peer group” and “needs investment”, but he said the British government was already investing £34bn into an equipment plan between now and 2033.
According to PAC’s report, there were more than 2,000 systems and applications for 200,000 users that the MoD had found difficulty in replacing, from administrative and back-office IT to military platforms, such as ships and satellites.
And despite the fast roll-out of new technology now being “at the very heart of the defence of the realm – with the urgency of this challenge demonstrated by the current conflict in Ukraine”, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority found three projects had significant issues and two were “unachievable”.
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The MPs said the MoD needed to make a “down payment” on a new way of operating in its digital action plan, expected to be published in April 2023, and make sure its delivery was “realistic and costed”.
Dame Meg said: “The scale and nature of the challenge of modern warfare is accelerating away from the ministry, while it’s bogged down in critical projects that are years delayed and at risk of being obsolescent on delivery.
“There is no world in which that is an acceptable situation at the heart of our national defence.”
In response, the MoD said it has made “significant progress” in delivering IT projects, and said recent work meant “only one of the six major digital programmes is rated red”.
The department’s spokesperson added: “Defence Digital’s improvement programme is a priority for the department, which is why we’re investing over £4bn annually.
“Maximising digital capabilities and data is fundamental to success in military operations and the committee recognises our strategy has the right priorities for achieving this.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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