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'No going back' on defence cuts - Philip Hammond Hammond says UK not seeking 'perfect Afghanistan'
(about 9 hours later)
The Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is expected to warn of more painful decisions ahead in his first major speech in the job. Britain is not trying to create a "perfect Afghanistan", Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said.
Mr Hammond will say he is determined not to compromise current operations or constrain future defence capability. But he said plans to hand over responsibility for security to the Afghan government by the end of 2014 were "on track".
But he will say that there is a "black hole" in the defence budget which must be tackled. He also confirmed military operations in Libya had cost £212m - less than was estimated at one stage.
He is also expected to say military operations in Libya cost £212m - less than was estimated at one stage. Mr Hammond announced women were to be allowed to serve on Royal Navy submarines for the first time.
Mr Hammond will insist that unpicking the Strategic Defence and Security Review "piece by piece" is not an option. The first women officers will begin serving on Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines in 2013, to be followed by female ratings on both Vanguard and the new Astute-class submarines from 2015.
Mr Hammond said Nato was not seeking to create a Western democratic state in Afghanistan but simply to ensure terror groups could not use the country as a base in the future.
He also praised the operation in Libya which led to the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi, and said it had been legal and necessary to avoid a "festering rogue state on Europe's borders".
In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London, Mr Hammond said: "The successful conclusion of the combat mission in Afghanistan is my first priority."
Mr Hammond said unpicking the Strategic Defence and Security Review "piece by piece" was not an option.
At the start of Britain's military intervention in Libya, the chancellor told MPs it was likely to cost tens of millions of pounds, raised to £260m by the MoD as the action continued over the summer.At the start of Britain's military intervention in Libya, the chancellor told MPs it was likely to cost tens of millions of pounds, raised to £260m by the MoD as the action continued over the summer.
But the final estimate of the additional costs, which will be paid by the Treasury's reserve, has now been lowered. But the final estimate of the additional costs has now been lowered.
The total of £212 million, including £67 million for replacing spent munitions, is all expected to be met from the Treasury reserve. The total of £212m, including £67m for replacing spent munitions, is all expected to be met from the Treasury reserve.
'Hand to mouth' 'Hand-to-mouth'
In his speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London, he will say the Libya campaign shows forces can take on new commitments despite the cuts. Mr Hammond said the Libya campaign showed forces could take on new commitments despite the cuts.
"This year, our armed forces have shown that - even with the enduring campaign in Afghanistan - they have the capability and the capacity to respond when the national interest requires," he is expected to say. But he criticised the previous Labour government's "fantasy budgets" on defence, and said ministers had made short-term decisions which had meant British forces had led a "hand-to-mouth existence".
But he will say the defence budget "spiralled out of control" under the former Labour government, and ministers had to take action if the military was not to continue a "hand to mouth existence". "But the situation we face now - after the years of political failure to grip the problem - is that eliminating the black hole in the defence budget is the only way to sustain military capability over the long term.
"I am clear that the purpose of the Ministry of Defence isn't simply to balance the books; it exists to defend the country," he is expected to say.
"But the situation we face now - after the years of political failure to grip the problem - is that eliminating the black hole in the defence budget is the only way to sustain military capability over the long-term.
"If we don't reshape now we won't be in a position to order new equipment in the future. Our challenge is to move from the fantasy budgets of the past to firm foundations for the future."If we don't reshape now we won't be in a position to order new equipment in the future. Our challenge is to move from the fantasy budgets of the past to firm foundations for the future.
"This is a transition that is essential to the future of defence - but no-one should be under any illusion that it will be easy or pain-free.""This is a transition that is essential to the future of defence - but no-one should be under any illusion that it will be easy or pain-free."