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MoD budgeting 'harms' UK missions | MoD budgeting 'harms' UK missions |
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Ministry of Defence systems for buying new equipment are so inefficient they are "harming our ability" to conduct operations, a leaked report suggests. | Ministry of Defence systems for buying new equipment are so inefficient they are "harming our ability" to conduct operations, a leaked report suggests. |
According to the Sunday Times, the dossier concluded the MoD's acquisition programme was £35 million over budget and five years behind schedule. | According to the Sunday Times, the dossier concluded the MoD's acquisition programme was £35 million over budget and five years behind schedule. |
It says the report's author Bernard Gray, a former government adviser, has called the problems "endemic". | It says the report's author Bernard Gray, a former government adviser, has called the problems "endemic". |
The MoD said it was working on the problems detailed in the draft report. | |
The Sunday Times claims to have seen the full 296-page report and it highlights a number of Mr Gray's comments from the review. | |
It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of 'world's most delayed technical solution' Bernard Gray class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8189558.stm">Plans to improve defence orders | |
"How can it be that it takes 20 years to buy a ship, or aircraft, or tank? Why does it always seem to cost at least twice what was thought?" | "How can it be that it takes 20 years to buy a ship, or aircraft, or tank? Why does it always seem to cost at least twice what was thought?" |
"Even worse, at the end of the wait, why does it never quite seem to do what it was supposed to?" | "Even worse, at the end of the wait, why does it never quite seem to do what it was supposed to?" |
He concluded the current programme is unaffordable in the long term and the MoD's procurement section should be privatised. | He concluded the current programme is unaffordable in the long term and the MoD's procurement section should be privatised. |
"The problems, and the sums of money involved, have almost lost their power to shock, so endemic is the issue," wrote Mr Gray. | "The problems, and the sums of money involved, have almost lost their power to shock, so endemic is the issue," wrote Mr Gray. |
"It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of 'world's most delayed technical solution'. Even British trains cannot compete." | "It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of 'world's most delayed technical solution'. Even British trains cannot compete." |
The report warns the MoD has a "substantially overheated equipment programme, with too many types of equipment being ordered for too large a range of tasks at too high a specification". | The report warns the MoD has a "substantially overheated equipment programme, with too many types of equipment being ordered for too large a range of tasks at too high a specification". |
Agile enemies such as the Taliban were "unlikely to wait for our sclerotic acquisition systems to catch up", he said. | Agile enemies such as the Taliban were "unlikely to wait for our sclerotic acquisition systems to catch up", he said. |
We are constantly improving the procurement process which has seen us deliver £10 billion of equipment to the front line over the last three years Ministry of Defence | We are constantly improving the procurement process which has seen us deliver £10 billion of equipment to the front line over the last three years Ministry of Defence |
The Gray dossier also found delays in the shipbuilding programme meant Britain could not have fought a Falklands-style campaign any time over the past 20 years. | The Gray dossier also found delays in the shipbuilding programme meant Britain could not have fought a Falklands-style campaign any time over the past 20 years. |
"We would have risked significant casualties, the very significant costs of acquiring adequate equipment at short notice (if available) or the embarrassment of not fighting at all," he said. | "We would have risked significant casualties, the very significant costs of acquiring adequate equipment at short notice (if available) or the embarrassment of not fighting at all," he said. |
The report was originally commissioned by John Hutton, who resigned as defence secretary in June, and it was due to be published in July. | |
An MoD spokesman said Mr Gray's work will "feed into" its recently announced defence green paper and the government will publish the report in "due course". | An MoD spokesman said Mr Gray's work will "feed into" its recently announced defence green paper and the government will publish the report in "due course". |
"We are constantly improving the procurement process which has seen us deliver £10 billion of equipment to the front line over the last three years," he added. | "We are constantly improving the procurement process which has seen us deliver £10 billion of equipment to the front line over the last three years," he added. |
Parts of the report had already been leaked and the BBC's political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said its findings were expected to be critical. | |
But it was understood the government had decided not to go ahead with publication because the conclusions were so stark, she added. | |
Political row | Political row |
The leaked dossier is likely to fuel the ongoing political row over equipment levels for troops, which have particularly focussed on helicopters. | The leaked dossier is likely to fuel the ongoing political row over equipment levels for troops, which have particularly focussed on helicopters. |
Last month, the Commons defence select committee said a lack of helicopters was undermining UK forces' operations and troop protection in Afghanistan, where the British death toll has now reached 206. | Last month, the Commons defence select committee said a lack of helicopters was undermining UK forces' operations and troop protection in Afghanistan, where the British death toll has now reached 206. |
Criticism has also come from within the government's own ranks. Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown had to row back from his comments after telling a newspaper, "we definitely don't have enough helicopters". | Criticism has also come from within the government's own ranks. Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown had to row back from his comments after telling a newspaper, "we definitely don't have enough helicopters". |
The head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, has called for better equipment to protect troops from roadside bombs in Afghanistan. | The head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, has called for better equipment to protect troops from roadside bombs in Afghanistan. |
But the government has repeatedly insisted the Army has enough equipment and denied claims of a helicopter shortage. | But the government has repeatedly insisted the Army has enough equipment and denied claims of a helicopter shortage. |