The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
1164.
The programme
to deliver the Scan Eagle UAV (see Box, ‘An interim
solution
– Scan
Eagle’) by April was “progressing well” and it was intended to
expand ISTAR
capability
“through further TUAV or Scan Eagle support which may involve UOR
action”.
Lt Gen Houghton
wrote that it made “no operational sense to be parsimonious in
the
provision
of ISTAR” when it was such an important element of force
protection.
1165.
Lt Gen Houghton
concluded:
“We cannot
guarantee absolute FP [force protection] integrity or the
complete
mitigation
of the array of dynamic threats that face us. The enemy only
requires one
lucky day.
It is our judgement however that reposturing
at the COB
will allow us to
further
exploit the technical advantages of improvements to ISTAR and
infrastructure
as well as
the opportunities of centralised location and the layered FP that
the
Op ZENITH610
force
posture allows us … “
On 17
January 2007, Vice Admiral Charles Style, DCDS(C), briefed the
Chiefs of Staff on
his
impressions from a recent visit to Iraq, including that the
“critical lack” of tactical UAVs
in MND(SE)
“could have a significant effect over the forthcoming
period”.611
On 12
March, VAdm Style gave Lord Drayson an update on attempts to
address the
tactical
UAV capability gap as part of advice to the Minister ahead of his
visit to Iraq.612
Following
discussions with the Australian Department of Defence, a solution
had been
agreed
whereby the UK would lease Scan Eagle from the Australian Defence
Force.
It would
be available from April 2007 to 30 June 2007 at a cost of £4.12m
and the option
to extend
the contract beyond June remained open.
Leasing
additional UAV capability through Scan Eagle had been identified as
“the only
option”
that would deliver ahead of the initial operating capability of
Hermes 450 and avoid
the delays
associated with other options.
A minute to
Lord Drayson on 19 April confirmed that the Scan Eagle initial
operating
capability
was achieved on 15 April 2007 and PJHQ had endorsed the requirement
to
extend the
contract until November 2007.613
Lord
Drayson was advised:
“The
original requirement … to provide Operational and Formation level
airborne
ISTAR
capability for MND(SE) remains extant and is not met or replaced by
this
proposal.
In order to meet pressing requirements and cover operations during
the
intervening
period, PJHQ have endorsed an MND(SE) addendum to the
original
USUR
[Urgent Statement of User Requirement] which seeks to fill the
capability gap
between now
and Jun 07 with sub‑optimal but available capability.”
610
The
operation to reduce UK forces on the ground in a combat role and
return them to bases, the
number
of which would progressively reduce.
611
Minutes, 17
January 2007, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
612
Minute
MA/DCDS(EC) to APS1/Min(DES), 12 March 2007, ‘Update on Issues
Following Minister’s Visit
to
Iraq’.
613
Minute EC
ISTAR to PS/Minister(DES), 19 April 2007, ‘Provision of an
Operational and Formation Level
Airborne
ISTAR Capability to Op TELIC’.
198