14.1 |
Military equipment (post-conflict)
854.
On 28 April
2003, MND(SE) produced a USUR for an “enhanced enduring
ISTAR
capability
for the UK land component”.457
It
explained that Phoenix had been supporting
Phase III
operations at “rates far greater than previously foreseen in
sustainability
planning
guidance, and in temperatures exceeding the design
specification”.
855.
The USUR noted
that experience in Bosnia and Kosovo had demonstrated
that
ISTAR
systems that were “flexible, responsive, not manpower intensive,
and with a
low ground
footprint” were key to maintaining the Commander’s situational
awareness
and protecting
UK forces. In those areas, “with small AORs”, Phoenix had been
used
“to great
effect”.
856.
The USUR
stated that 75 Phoenix UAVs had been deployed or moved into
theatre
since
operations started. By 15 April 2003, only 29 of those were still
“fit” for use in
theatre.
Seven had been lost to hostile action and 24 had crashed because of
a fault in
the
Phoenix’s system.
857.
There was no
explanation of what had happened to the remaining 15
UAVs.
858.
Without
“corrective action”, the USUR stated that current attrition rates
meant
that there
would be no Phoenix UAVs left in theatre by 6 May (without
deploying War
Maintenance
Reserve (WMR) stock), or that stocks would reduce to zero by 10
June
(if the
WMR stock was fully deployed).
859.
A package of
measures were “in train” to fix the fault causing Phoenix
crashes
and to
increase its availability in high temperatures. Neither set of
measures would,
however,
increase its endurance or the range at which it could be used.
While Phoenix
would
continue to be used in Iraq “by necessity”, there was an
operational requirement
for an
ISTAR system to support the duration of Op TELIC “with the required
levels of
persistence,
flexibility, responsiveness and in all climatic conditions, with
the required
resolution
to be able to identify and monitor difficult and often fleeting
targets”.
860.
An initial
operating capability was required “as soon as possible” with full
operating
capability
“not later than mid October 2003”.
861.
The covering
minute, sent on behalf of Major General Graeme Lamb,
GOC
MND(SE),
recorded:
“The GOC
sees provision of an enhanced UAV capability as essential to
mitigate
reduced
force structures in an extensive and complex AO [Area of
Operations].
CJO [Lt Gen Reith]
was briefed on this requirement during his visit to the Division
on
26 April.”
457
Minute
MND(SE) [junior officer] to PJHQ, April 2003, ‘USUR for an Enhanced
UAV’ attaching Paper,
MND(SE), 28
April 2003, ‘Urgent Statement of User Requirement for a UK Land
Component Enhanced
Enduring
ISTAR Capability’.
147