MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (041 / 2009) issued by COI News Distribution Service.
26 February 2009
The MoD today
welcomed the House of Commons Defence Select Committee's
report into Defence Equipment 2009. The report praises the
impressive performance of DE&S (Defence Equipment and Support)
in delivering equipment and supplies to two theatres in 'very
challenging environments' and commends the UOR (Urgent
Operational Requirement System) as 'highly effective' in
meeting rapidly changing threats.
The report makes a number of recommendations on particular
equipment programmes such as FRES, the A400M and the Defence
Industrial Strategy, which the department notes and will respond
to. It also commends DE&S for its achievements to date,
stating that the organisation is heading in the right direction
and notes that DE&S has made good progress in improving the
skills of its staff across a range of key acquisition disciplines.
Commenting on today's report, the Minister for Defence
Equipment and Support Quentin Davies said:
"Today's report praises the speed with which we are
delivering vital equipment to our Armed Forces on operations.
Rightly we are prioritising getting equipment out to those who
need it most, but we are also maintaining our focus on delivering
long-term equipment programmes: the Sentinel R1 aircraft with
their ASTOR radars have just returned from a successful
operational deployment; and the first of our powerful Type 45
destroyers, HMS Daring, has been handed over to MOD to start an
intensive trials programme.
"We have delivered equipment valued at more than £10bn to
the Armed Forces in the last three years and continue to invest in
protected mobility with £700 million on 700 new armoured vehicles
announced last year - the committee recognises this achievement.
We work with our industry partners to deliver equipment to the
frontline in record time and are developing partnership
arrangements to take forward the equipment needed for future operations.
"The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) remains at the heart
of the MoD's acquisition policy. It underpins our commercial
activity and will deliver equipment to the front line at value for
money for the taxpayer. We remain fully committed to the DIS, and
to ensuring the future of the UK's defence industrial base.
Industry has made clear to us at the highest level that they do
not want a new version of the DIS at the present time and I think
it is right for us to take that view into account."
The MoD will now consider the Committee's conclusions and
recommendations on all aspects of the Defence Equipment 2008
inquiry, including specific projects and programmes, and publish
our full response in due course.
[ENDS]
Notes to Editors
1. The House of Commons Defence Committee report into Defence
Equipment 2009 was published on Thursday 26 February. It took
evidence from Quentin Davies MP, Minister for Defence Equipment
and Support; General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue, Chief of Defence
Materiel (CDM); Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures, Deputy Chief
of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability); Amyas Morse, Defence
Commercial Director; Rear Admiral Paul Lambert ,Capability Manager
Precision Attack; and Dr Andrew Tyler, DE&S Chief Operating Officer
2. The MoD has made clear our reasons for not publishing DIS2 at
this time and the Defence Industry has indicated a preference for
us not to publish the updated version of the Defence Industrial
Strategy until we have concluded work to examine the medium and
long term equipment issues that will inform the individual
industrial sector strategies.
3. The recent restructuring of the FRES programme reflects
investment in vehicles to support current operational commitments
and a change to the likely delivery of specific vehicle types. The
money invested in the Utility Vehicle programme has not been
wasted and will have significant value as the programme
progresses. With current operations in mind we have restructured
the FRES programme, giving priority to FRES Scout over the FRES
Utility Vehicle. FRES is a complex programme made up of a number
of different vehicle, weapon and system types, and has
consistently been regarded as a holistic capability.
4. On the A400M, we are naturally very concerned over the delays
announced by Airbus to the first deliveries. As a matter of
priority, the UK is exploring a range of options to deal with this
including an extension of existing C130 assets in service, and the
potential lease or procurement of additional assets.
5. For further information, please contact David Hunter in the
MoD Press Office on 0207 218 2165.