One year later: The U.K. strategic defence review

Sea Power, Dec 1999 by Kilvert-Jones, T D

The Emerging Challenge

A Critical challenge involves the meshing and integration of force structures and defense industries on both sides of the Atlantic. The changes to British acquisition structures and Processes introduced by the SDR process have gone a long way to easing this challenge, While sustaining the British industrial base will always remain a critical issue (thus the CVFs will be built in Britain regardless of which consortium wins the contract), the new processes in the DPA will allow programs to be awarded to the most effective company or coalition of companies-regardless of national issues. The Apache Longbow purchase is a case in point.

This is a necessary evolution. With declining defense resources in virtually every NATO member nation, ensuring economies of scale in key defense technologies is becoming critical. Declining defense budgets, when combined with the growing cost of today's weapons systems, make it unlikely that any single nation-including the United States-can field the full range of defense capabilities required for the next century. Clearly cooperative industrial efforts and force-interoperability requirements will remain critical goals well into the next century.

With the changes being implemented in the U.K. armed forces as a result of SDR, Britain's maritime component is demonstrating an admirable ability to adapt to the demands of expeditionary operations in the world's complex littorals. Cold War warships are now being reengineered and redeployed with new roles. For example, following the recent acquisition of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) and their successful use in the Kosovo conflict, the Royal Navy is commencing a refit program to adapt all Trafalgar- and Astute-class submarines to be TLAMcompatible by 2008. HMS Illustrious has also now undergone a refit to remove her forward Sea Dart launcher from the flight deck in order to allow more RAF Harrier GR.7 aircraft to be spotted on the deck. Meanwhile, the former Sea Dart magazine on Illustrious has been adapted to hold GR.7 weapons. Other changes reflect a spirit of adaptability and, as one spokesperson stated, "a willingness to make more of the ships that we have got."

Casualties of Change

There are, however, tensions emerging in the MOD that would suggest that this is not a bloodless time of change. In August 1999, Lt. Gen. Edmund Burton, a deputy chief of defence staff, resigned. As he told his staff, "At a time of unprecedented change, this news will come as a surprise to most members of the Systems Area. I will not attempt to conceal my disappointment at having to leave you prematurely." Burton's premature departure followed his blunt assessment that smart procurement would not provide the savings expected on the scale or speed demanded by U.K. government ministers.

The Labor government actually is seeking a L2 billion saving in rationalized acquisition to fund new systems and so avert cuts to planned programs and capabilities. SDR is a masterpiece, but its value will be for naught unless it is resourced so that the structural changes and necessary equipment purchases can be made.