RAF personnel operate aboard an E-3D Sentry aircraft. (Rui Vieira WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Earlier this year, the United Kingdom released its integrated defense review, a document laying out Londons military goals and modernization efforts for the future. But achieving the goals in that document will require the acquisition system to match policy decisions something Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute think tank warns is a long-standing challenge.
There is a chronic problem at the heart of the UK defense establishment, one that is the root cause of many procurement disasters, force design inconsistencies, and the fact that the country gets significantly less value from its defense spending than many of its allies and competitors. Put simply: political ambitions for capability and a global British role as a military power completely outstrip the funding made available for the Ministry of Defence.
Most, though by no means all, of the bad behaviors in procurement and program management within MoD and the Defence Equipment & Support Agency (DE&S) stem from this high-level mismatch between policy ambition and funding, one that forces defense planners to continually come up with new and often convoluted arrangements to theoretically render the various capabilities needed to meet policy requirements affordable.
Often this simply entails delaying badly needed upgrades or modernization programs because the cash cannot be found in each given year. Aggressive targets for efficiency savings for the services, as a means to free up extra cash for modernization, did initially create budget headroom and help reduce waste. However, once the more egregious examples of actual inefficiency had been eliminated, further large-scale savings quickly became difficult to find. With major equipment programs only affordable through continued efficiency savings, the hollowing out of important enabling and support capabilities, and the reduction of spares and munitions stockpiles has become commonplace hardly efficient in real terms.
Creating armed forces fit and capable for serious combat operations is an inherently inefficient activity by peacetime standards. Right sizing a force structure and enablers for peacetime assumptions on attrition, deployment tempo, ammunition consumption and spares requirements creates brittle capabilities which could quickly lose effectiveness if tested in serious conflict.
The implications of the funding/ambition mismatch are not confined to the armed forces themselves. The services desire to buy equipment and munitions from the US, to leverage cheaper unit costs and the latters massive R&D spending, is counterbalanced by national economic and political requirements to support domestic industry. However, small stockpiles of complex weapons and a force structure with an ever-smaller number of platforms also ensure that the domestic (and broader European) industrial base is generally optimized for low production rates, with long lead times.
This, in turn, means that the ability to rapidly surge domestic production of munitions and spares in a crisis is extremely limited. The real-world consequence for the British military is a near total dependence on the US for rapid resupply and logistics in conflict against a serious state adversary a policy outcome made riskier by the fact that most other European NATO members share the same dependency.
The RAF E-3D Sentry AWACS saga illustrates many of these processes in action.
During the late 2000s, as the US and French air forces began mid-life upgrade (MLU) programs needed to maintain their E-3 fleets to the intended out-of-service date in 2035, the RAF considered its options and took another path. With operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in full swing, and a wide range of upgrade programs and urgent operation requirement acquisitions underway to support those missions, the RAF quietly decided to indefinitely postpone the E-3D MLU to help balance the books a move which attracted little political scrutiny at the time.
By 2017, the repercussions of these cost savings were becoming clear, as the RAF E-3D fleet was increasingly beset by mechanical issues, mission system obsolescence and even flight safety concerns. 2 billion was allocated to a belated life extension program aimed at keeping a reduced E-3D fleet viable until 2035, when it could be replaced in cooperation with the US and France with whatever was chosen to replace their modernized E-3G and E-3F fleets. However, technology and the threat picture had significantly moved on from that which had informed the US and French upgrade programs. This made the 2 billion price tag difficult to justify in light of the limited capability offered in return for fixing the many problems generated by a decade of under-investment in the E-3D fleet.
Consequently, the RAF ordered five of the more modern E-7 Wedgetails as a replacement for the E-3D in the AWACS role in 2019. To pay for this, the E-3D was slated for rapid retirement from service in 2021, and the 2 billion previously allocated to the life extension program shifted to fund the E-7 acquisition. As so often happens within British defense, however, it soon became clear that the RAF had been over-optimistic in their calculations for the E-7 acquisition and all the associated set up costs.
There are many differences in opinion as to why and how the discrepancy arose, but it is certainly the case that the RAF, the broader MoD and then-Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson all faced strong incentives to find a way to make the numbers add up on paper at the time the E-7 deal was signed. The AWACS mission is one of the UKs core commitments to NATO, and the state of the E-3D fleet by 2019 was a source of significant potential embarrassment at both the operational and political level.
Nevertheless, the 2021 Integrated Review and accompanying Defence Command Paper process prompted a hard review of the E-7 cost figures against all the other modernization and sustainment costs facing the RAF and other services. In common with many other major programs, costs did not match the budget available or the figures initially agreed, and the result was that the RAF was told, once again, that budget constraints had to trump capability. Significant efficiencies were found by moving the E-7 fleet from RAF Waddington, where most of the ISTAR fleet is based, to RAF Lossiemouth to take advantage of support and infrastructure commonality with the P-8A Poseidon MPA fleet there. The RAF hoped that this would allow the program to continue with four out of the five original E-7 airframes still being acquired. However, the political side of the review process determined that only three airframes could be procured.
This outcome is symptomatic of the malaise afflicting so much of UK defense, so lets review. As a result of the budget being insufficient to meet the requirements of sustainment, operations and modernization, upgrades for the E-3D in the late 2000s were scrapped. A decade later, the E-3D was out of step with the versions operated by partner air forces, increasingly expensive to operate, with poor serviceability and obsolescent mission systems. The effort to acquire a replacement at short notice has rapidly fallen prey to the same combination of over-optimistic cost estimates to try and maintain a politically sensitive capability without additional funding, leading to further cuts.
The result: the RAF will still pay nearly 2 billion, but will receive only three E-7s to replace the six remaining E-3Ds. Despite the E-7 radar and mission systems being far more capable and flexible than the E-3D that it is replacing, three aircraft are not enough in the medium term to guarantee one on station as required. The iron laws of maintenance, serviceability and crew rotations place hard limits on the ability to endlessly do more with less in the air domain.
The cycle of deferred or cancelled upgrades leading to reduced availability, rapid obsolescence and the need for urgent modernization is endemic in British defense. As programs are delayed to balance the books in-year, the modernization bill increases and the gap between political rhetoric and reality widens. Acquisition programs are then penny-pinched, micro-managed and often spread over a decade or more to try and make the books balance an almost perfect mix to ensure maximum long-term cost and risk for minimal capability. British defense planners are forced into chronic bad behaviors because the force structure required to meet policy demands simply cannot be delivered and sustained within the budget available year on year.
Until the British government engages in a more honest discussion about the need to significantly reduce defense capability ambition or significantly increase spending, program outcomes like the E-3D/E-7 are likely to remain par for the course. A re-alignment of resources and ambitions will not solve all of defenses problems in itself, but it is an essential first step.
Justin Bronk is the research fellow for airpower and technology in the military sciences team at RUSI. He is also editor of the RUSI Defence Systems online journal.
Go here to read the rest:
The Problem at the Heart of UK Defense - Breaking Defense
- Choosing Regular Food to Extend Longevity - CounterPunch.org - CounterPunch - April 18th, 2024 [April 18th, 2024]
- "I love the club, I'm really happy here" - Manchester United star opens up on life at club amid contract extension uncertainty - Sportskeeda - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Life Extension review - 7 facts you should know [APRIL 2022] - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Biomedical Research & Longevity Society - Wikipedia - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- NAD+ Cell Regenerator and Resveratrol Elite - Life Extension - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- FLORASSIST GI with Phage Technology - Life Extension - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Magnesium Citrate 100 mg, 100 capsules - Life Extension - November 5th, 2022 [November 5th, 2022]
- AMPK Metabolic Activator, 30 tablets - Life Extension - November 5th, 2022 [November 5th, 2022]
- Germany nuclear plants life extension approved by Cabinet - DW (English) - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Biohacking: What is it, types and hacks to try for beginners - Medical News Today - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 'Biggest day of my life': Kevin Porter Jr., Rockets react to extension - Rockets Wire - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Postharvest quality solution for tomatoes-on-the-vine - hortidaily.com - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- JZZ Technologies, Inc. and Subsidiary LION Development Group, Enter into JV Agreement with affiliate of Hospitality Development Group, Inc. of Florida... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 'I love the city': QB Zach Collaros inks 3-year contract extension to stay with Blue Bombers through 2025 - CBC.ca - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- MSU-led team studying expansion of controlled environment culinary herb production across US - Michigan State University - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 60 seconds with...Wayne Dunn, Babcock International - Professional Engineering - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Wind energy operators must address these 5 areas to exploit the full value of monitoring - Windpower Engineering - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Extension shares tips for practicing fire safety in the fall - The Hartselle Enquirer - Hartselle Enquirer - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- FIRST Robotics Prepares to Extend Its Reach to More Vermont Students - Seven Days - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Plant Life Cycles - Penn State Extension - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- FDA Authorizes Shelf Life Extension for Certain Lots of Paxlovid - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- EDF considers extending life of two UK nuclear plants due to energy crisis - The Guardian - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Rittenbach among Extension team professionals honored - Jamestown Sun | News, weather, sports from Jamestown North Dakota - The Jamestown Sun - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- What is the circular economy and why is it essential for real sustainability? - Schroders - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 44 national and international NGOs call for renewal and expansion of truce in Yemen [EN/AR] - Yemen - ReliefWeb - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- University City Townhomes residents now have until end of the year to find new low-income housing - The Philadelphia Inquirer - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- New Eskom board: Business groups happy with mix of skills - News24 - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Full circle on the farm: Penn State alum returns to help educate Pa. growers - Pennsylvania State University - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Task Force: Blacks are owed hundreds of thousands - CalMatters - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- ProLynx appoints Richard King as Chief Executive Officer and Chris Ehrlich as Board Director - GlobeNewswire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Analysis: Behind Trump's media deal, a vote where only yes will do - Reuters - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Evusheld long-acting antibody combination approved in the EU for the treatment of COVID-19 | Antibodies | News Channels - PipelineReview.com - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Action Hampshire get behind Sustainable Future Fund to reduce waste in business - Hampshire Chronicle - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Living the dream - Farm Progress - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Teck and Agnico Eagle Announce Agreement on the San Nicols Copper-Zinc Project located in Zacatecas, Mexico - PR Newswire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Most actively traded companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange - Winnipeg Free Press - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Giants Urged to Give Extension to 24-Year-Old Defender - Heavy.com - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Russias MiG-31 Fighter That Fired Hypersonic Missiles On Ukraine Conducted Drills In The Stratosphere - EurAsian Times - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Jaguar Mining Reports Confirmed Continuity of Mineralization at Pilar Gold Mine - Life of Mine Extension Drilling to Follow - Yahoo Finance - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Easy meals, life-saving knife skills part of West Texas Fair & Rodeo Spotlight Kitchen - Abilene Reporter-News - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Beyond Bulletproof: Why Billionaires Are Chasing Everlasting Health - Newsweek - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Did California Truly Extend the Life of Diablo Canyon? Only Time Will Tell. - JD Supra - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings Offered This Fall - Iowa State University - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Finland to Extend Validity of Residence Permits for Ukrainian Refugees Under Temporary Protection - SchengenVisaInfo.com - SchengenVisaInfo.com - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- Wildfire Smoke's Affect on Potato Crops Being Studied - University of Idaho - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]
- National Weather Service Northern Indiana radar will be down beginning Monday for upgrades - WANE - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Renault Trucks Will Give New Life to Old Parts - Ward's Auto - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Stop the stigma and step in - Farm Progress - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Empire Wind and WCS Announce Extension of Historic Near Real-Time Acoustic Marine Monitoring Project In New York Bight - Business Wire - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Media Advisory: Chalk River Laboratories Officially Breaks Ground on One of the Largest Nuclear Research Facilities Ever Constructed in Canada -... - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- PFAS pilot study gets yet another extension, scope and cost of another project reduced - wausaupilotandreview.com - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Predators extend deal with Bally Sports South - Awful Announcing - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- WWYDW: Reactions to the Canucks' J.T. Miller extension - Canucks Army - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- NASA's Artemis rocket makers explain that it's a marathon and a sprint - The Register - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Food supply chains are susceptible to fraud and adulteration more than ever, warns Kerry - Food Ingredients First - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Reprieve for The White Lady as iconic food truck gets 12-month licence extension - Stuff - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Gypsy Moth Biology & Life Cycle - University of Illinois Extension - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- AgriLife's Johanna Hicks and Team Honored at 2022 National Health Outreach Conference - frontporchnewstexas.com - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Harmony Gold to maintain dividends despite facing two years of heavy capital bills - Miningmx - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Malaysian, Thai companies ink MOU to explore cooperation in Mechanised Infantry Fighting Vehicle life extension programme - The Edge Markets MY - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Coveris previews new packaging solutions targeting enhanced performance and recyclability - Packaging Europe - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- KPF and heatherwick studio to extend singapore airport as cluster of lush 'neighborhoods' - Designboom - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Understanding Tax Liens. Could the IRS seize your car? - finehomesandliving.com - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Extension of Legacy Trail in Tyler to continue - Tyler Morning Telegraph - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- KRUG: Extension learning opportunities around the corner - Hays Post - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Half-Life 2 VR is coming, here's how you can get it - Win.gg - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Transplant technology: United Therapeutics 3D-printing of human organs focused on every breath you take - Manchester Ink Link - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Serena Williams Interview on Leaving Tennis and Her Legacy - TIME - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Thousands of photos captured by everyday Australians reveal the secrets of our marine life as oceans warm - The Conversation - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Empathy and Solidarity: On Alejandro Varela's The Town of Babylon - lareviewofbooks - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently? - GOV.UK - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Anti-Aging Conference and Olympia Weekend Set for Back-to-Back Weekends in Vegas - Muscle & Fitness - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- A son steps aboard the Eagle and into his father's world - Journal Inquirer - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Class to teach healthy living for those with chronic conditions - The Maryville Forum - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- New application for disinfection of fresh-cut fruits by means ozone in the packaging - hortidaily.com - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Meatless Meats and Smokeless Smokes - Equities News - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Command & Control Success: Fireground Commander: Understanding the Impact - Firehouse - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Five Ways This Survey About Maine's Wellness is Absolutely Bogus - WJBQ - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture, Virginia Cooperative Extension help Virginia Tech showcase its land-grant mission at 2022 Virginia Ag... - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]
- Anti-ageing tips: Here's how to rewind your biological clock - Hindustan Times - July 25th, 2022 [July 25th, 2022]