14.1 |
Military equipment (post-conflict)
“Protected
mobility continues to be a key requirement for forces
undertaking
a wide
range of roles, including patrolling, public order duties and IED
search
tasks.
Protected Patrol Vehicles are therefore vital, and we are seeking
an advance
of programmes
already in our Equipment Plan to the tune of £12m.”
319.
On 26 January,
as part of the new biennial planning cycle, the DMB
discussed
proposals
in a paper by Mr Woolley on the “Future Defence
Programme”.161
320.
Mr Woolley
outlined that the strategy for Short Term Plan and 2005
Equipment
Programme
was to implement decisions already taken by the DMB and
Ministers,
“rather than
making significant adjustments to force structure or
capability”.
321.
Mr Woolley
wrote that “some £82m” had been earmarked to fund the
continuing
support
costs of recently procured UOR equipments. Recognising constraints
on
accessing
the Reserve, £30m had been set aside across 2005/06 and 2006/07
to
“provide
headroom for equipment enhancements that might be needed for
planned
operations”
but no specific provision had been made for the “extra equipment
costs
required to
support the possible deployment of a UK brigade to Afghanistan
alongside
the ARRC
HQ”.
322.
Along with the
associated budgets, the paper identified:
•
69 proposed
savings measures, including a delay to the ISD of three
FRES
variants;
•
78 proposed
enhancements, including three enhancements to Warrior, two
for
CVR(T)
(both including enhanced protection); and
•
24 further
savings measures that were not recommended for DMB
approval.
323.
The list of
proposed enhancements also identified “additional protected
mobility
for light
forces from 2006”. That included the upgrade of 550 “near‑obsolete
Northern
Ireland
fleet of Snatch 1 vehicles, through the provision of a new
chassis”, and
100 Vector
vehicles that were “better suited to worldwide, rough terrain
operations”.
324.
The minutes of
the DMB recorded that Sir Kevin Tebbit had said the
2004
Spending
Review settlement had “increased resources in real terms, but there
were
substantial
pressures”.162
161
Paper
Finance Director [MOD], [undated], ‘Future Defence Programme
05’.
162
Minutes, 26
January 2005, Defence Management Board meeting.
57