Editorial Notes
3 Mar 2008
Over the last few years we have discussed and criticised many aspects of defence equipment acquisition in RUSI Defence Systems. The arrival of Lord Drayson as the minister responsible for defence acquisition, and his subsequent Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), suggested that necessary reforms would now be carried out. However, his sudden resignation has caused wide dismay, for Drayson had the commercial experience and expertise that no recent defence politician has had. The RUSI Acquisition Focus looks at acquisition after Drayson.
Two major concerns for some time have been the lack of both agility and innovation in the acquisition process and these have been rammed home during recent operations. The official mindset that innovation equals risk and should therefore be avoided must change. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the C4ISTAR arena and this is the subject of our ‘contention’ section. For some time, there has been a growing perception that artillery is essential only for high intensity operations and that air can often provide indirect support better. But now the move to artillery precision at greater ranges, albeit slow, is altering the balance, and that balance is likely to change more dramatically with the appearance of loitering munitions. Jonathan Bailey and Dr Akram Ghulam discuss the tactical and technical issues, while Steve Altman intercepts an email from the front. Leigh Moore discusses the cost of precision.
Transformation of air forces is a widespread priority, as was apparent at the 2007 Global Air Chiefs Conference. We publish the views of the Air Chiefs of France, Italy and the US, as well as those of the UK’s Second Sea Lord, a former Air Commander of Australia and the Head of the RAF’s transformation programme. Frank Cappuccio discusses the difficulty of developing new tactical medium airlift. What is perhaps surprising is the lack of discussion in this section on the place of the unmanned air vehicles (UAV) in the overall mix of air systems. Recent counter-insurgency operations have made the transformation of ground forces just as pressing. General Speakes and Colonel Martin describe the US approach to ‘spinning out’ technologies from their Future Combat System (FCS) programme, and General Wilson explains the UK’s programme to achieve a medium weight capability and the replacement of obsolescent armoured vehicles by the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES). This has been an ongoing issue for some 30 years, but there still seem to be concerns – Jim Storr likens the FRES approach to buying a battle cruiser, while Christopher Dabrowski queries the assumptions behind the support of FRES. New technologies will be important for the FRES programme and Dr Sandy Wilson looks at one whose time may have come.
With the continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, logistic support to those fighting there is vital – but not easy. Admiral Boissier explains the importance of sea-basing, but says it has yet to fulfil its potential, while Admiral Reilly describes the US Military Sealift Command’s capability. General Treche examines multi-national support and suggests common goals for the future, while General Applegate describes the recent UK moves towards sharpening the relationship between the support organisation and the front-line commanders.
The subject of decision-making is vital at all levels. It is based on information, but it is the way that information is presented to the human that is important. Admiral Yaari looks at situational cognition and believes we know too little and guess too much. Situational cognition is at the heart of our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems and is, therefore, central to our decision-making processes – understanding is the human process that interacts with the ISR picture as Stephen Hledik points out in providing an Australian view of defence ISR. In our section on acquisition, John Dowdy looks at the predictions he made in 2003 about the schedule of UK acquisition programmes and finds that his predictions, unlike the official forecasts, were remarkably accurate. There have been many changes in approach, structure, process and tools since 2003, but these seem to have made little difference to performance, so he asks if the root causes of delay are still unidentified. Dr Jeffrey Bradford compares the US and UK acquisition priorities and finds many similarities. Dr Eugene Kogan discusses the defence industries of the six Eastern European members of NATO and the EU, and looks at the challenges ahead. Our acquisition interview is with the Director General of the UK Defence Manufacturers’ Association, who gives his views on the DIS, the relationship between MoD and industry, lack of agility in acquisition and many other live issues.
Where is the border between defence and security? Each nation will provide a different answer. One such ‘grey area’ concerns territorial waters. Dr Robbin Laird suggests that the US Coast Guard is facing conflicting ideas about its future direction: a key participant in the global maritime security system or a more inward-looking role? The choice will determine not only coastguard vessel design, but also the shape of its C4ISR systems. Richard White looks at Rolls-Royce’s designs of coastguard vessels that they have provided for many countries to fulfil a wide range of tasks.
As a result of all that, you may like to contribute to the debate in the next edition.
Bill Kincaid CBE
Editor, RUSI Defence Systems
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