UK’s NATO commitments threatened by ‘broken’ military procurement programme
The UK’s plan to arm its military has failed to adapt to a more dangerous world following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the government risks being unable to meet vital NATO commitments, an influential group of MPs has warned.
In a damning assessment of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) ability to purchase equipment, the Public Accounts Committee said it had “serious doubts” that a rolling, ten-year procurement plan is “agile and responsive enough to react to this more dangerous international situation”.
It called the whole system overseen by Defence Equipment and Support – the branch of the MoD charged with procuring kit – “broken”.
The MPs questioned an “optimism bias” behind the £242.3bn equipment budget for 2022-to-2032 given the impact of rising inflation and unfavourable exchange rates.
Much of the UK’s military gear is bought from the United States.
In addition, balancing the sums in the equipment plan requires the MoD to meet an ambition to make efficiency savings worth £13.8bn over the coming decade, even though it has not yet set out how it will achieve £5bn of the total.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, deputy chair of the committee said: “If the MoD does not act swiftly to address the fragility of its supply chain, replenish its stocks, and modernise its capabilities, the UK may struggle to maintain its essential contribution to NATO.
He added: “Neither taxpayers nor our armed forces are being served well. There needs to be meaningful change of this broken system. The department needs to break from this cycle of costly delay and failure and deliver a fundamental, root and branch reform of defence procurement.”
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‘It’s an uphill battle with the Treasury’
MoD’s equipment plan ‘failed’ to adapt to volatile world
Another problem, again caused by inflation, is the impact on the government’s ability to retain defence staff, particularly in high-skilled areas such as technology, given the value of public-sector salaries is being eroded. This makes private sector careers more alluring.
The MPs drew on an assessment by the National Audit Office – the government’s spending watchdog – as well as evidence from senior officials within defence to deliver their verdict in an annual report on defence’s vast plan to buy equipment, from warships and jets to computer chips and codes.
“The Ministry of Defence’s approach to its equipment plan has failed to adapt to a more volatile world,” the committee said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago triggered a refresh of the UK’s defence, security and foreign policy.
“However, we have serious doubts about whether the department’s equipment plan process is agile and responsive enough to react to this more dangerous international situation,” the report said.
“We are concerned that the department lacks the urgency required to develop and deliver promptly the enhanced capabilities that the armed forces need.”
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This includes the rapid purchase of more ammunition and weapons to replenish stockpiles that have been given by the UK to the Ukrainian armed forces in support of their fight against Russia as well as to grow the UK’s own stockpiles.
Capability gaps in the army were focused on in particular, such as delays to the delivery of new, multi-billion-pound armoured vehicles, such as the Ajax mini-tank and also critically important communications gear that is meant to be fitted to all the kit.
This impacts the UK’s ability to deploy force, particularly in support of NATO allies.
Sky News revealed earlier this year that a senior US general privately told Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, that the British Army is no longer regarded as a top-level or tier-one fighting force.
Mr Wallace, the longest-serving Conservative defence secretary, has already admitted that the UK has not been able to field a war-fighting division for many years.
The provision of a division – of up to 25,000 troops – is something NATO allies have looked to the UK and other powerful member states to be able to deliver in a crisis as part of the alliance’s collective defence and security.
Equipment plan out of date given Ukraine war
A summit in Lithuania in July will see allies finalise updated commitments to bolster NATO’s defences and deter Russian aggression as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on.
The Public Accounts Committee said the MoD’s current equipment plan is already out of date given the Ukraine war.
“Equipment arrives into service many years late and significantly over-budget, with depressing regularity,” the MPs said.
“Neither taxpayers nor our Armed Forces are being served well. There needs to be meaningful change of this broken system. The Department needs to break from this cycle of costly delay and failure and deliver a fundamental, root and branch reform of defence procurement once and for all.”
UK
Masked burglars ‘raid’ Windsor Castle grounds ‘while William, Kate and children slept at home on estate’
Masked burglars have stolen farm vehicles from the Windsor Castle estate while members of the Royal Family are believed to have been asleep nearby.
Two men scaled a 6ft fence on the night of 13 October and used a stolen truck to break through a security gate, The Sun first reported.
The pair then fled with a pick-up and a quad bike that were stored in a barn.
The King and Queen were not in residence.
But the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Louis were believed to have been in their home, Adelaide Cottage, on the estate, according to The Sun.
The family moved there in 2022.
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said: “At around 11.45pm on Sunday 13 October, we received a report of burglary at a property on Crown Estate land near to the A308 in Windsor.
“Offenders entered a farm building and made off with a black Isuzu pick-up and a red quad bike. They then made off towards the Old Windsor/Datchet area.
“No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing.”
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On Christmas Day 2021, a man climbed a fence at Windsor Castle armed with a crossbow and claimed he wanted to kill Queen Elizabeth II.
Jaswant Singh Chail was handed a nine-year custodial sentence for treason, possession of an offensive weapon and making threats to kill.
The UK is braced for “disruptive snow” as yellow weather warnings cover large parts of the country until Tuesday – with the Met Office saying there is the “potential” for the alerts to be “escalated”.
The forecaster has warned up to 20cm of snow may accumulate in the worst affected areas as the country experiences its “first taste of winter”.
The Met Office has also told people to expect ice, cold temperatures and wintry showers this week.
Check the forecast in your area
A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for much of the north of the country – covering areas in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales and the north of England – from 7pm on Monday night to 10am on Tuesday morning.
Those in the impacted areas have been told power cuts are possible and mobile phone coverage might be affected.
The Met Office has said there is a “slight chance” some rural communities could be cut off and that bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled.
People are also warned to be careful not to slip or fall on icy surfaces.
The Met Office has said there will be bright spells across northern and eastern areas throughout today, but rain in the south and west will gradually spread northeastwards and turn to snow over northern hills.
Parts of the UK are experiencing their ‘first taste of winter’, says the Met Office. File pic: PA
Tom Morgan, Met Office meteorologist, said: “We could see some disruptive snow in the Pennine regions, in particular, the Peak District as well, especially Monday night, but we could well see some impacts lasting on until Tuesday morning’s rush hour.
“Even down to lower levels, we could well see some snow as well, so quite a bit of disruption possible by Tuesday morning, and then the week ahead is likely to stay cold nationwide, a windy day on Tuesday, and then winter showers through the week ahead.”
Mr Morgan said that despite a “mild” start to the month, the cold conditions are more typical of “mid-winter to late-winter”.
“What we can say is that it’s going to be very cold for the time of year, there will be widespread overnight frosts, and a few locations where there’s snow on the ground,” he continued.
The yellow weather warnings in place across the UK
Meanwhile, a yellow snow and ice weather warning that came into force at 4pm on Sunday will end at 11am this morning.
The warning covers the northern tip of Scotland and people there have been told there may be icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
The Met Office has said there is “potential” for both yellow warnings to be “escalated”.
In southern England, a typical maximum temperature for this time of year is 11C (52F), but daytime highs for the week ahead are forecast to be around 5C (41F), while some parts of Scotland will reach “only just above freezing”, Mr Morgan said.
The meteorologist said the public can best prepare for the wintry weather by checking their cars are suitable for icy and potentially snowy conditions and to take extra supplies including food, blankets and a fully charged mobile phone with them on journeys.
He added there were “likely” to be changes to the weather warnings in the coming days, and that “winter flurries” could be seen in the south of England later in the week.
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Despite the cold conditions, the “whole of the UK” will enjoy more sunshine this week, the meteorologist added.
He said: “There’ll be some snow showers in the peripheries of the UK, particularly northern Scotland, and down the east and the west coast, but if you live inland and you live in the south, there’ll be lots of sparkly blue skies on the most days through Tuesday to Friday.”
It comes as a cold weather alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency, which was introduced at 9am on Sunday, will be in place until 9am on Thursday.
It covers a large area of England, north of Northhampton. The alert is triggered when there is a risk that healthcare services might face extra pressure and is designed to prepare those who are “particularly vulnerable” and “likely to struggle to cope”.
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