New pistols for UK Armed Forces

The Armed Forces are to be supplied with more than 25,000 new Glock sidearms to replace the ageing Browning pistols currently in service.

The Glock 17 Gen4 pistol is not only much lighter than the Browning L9A1, it is also more accurate and its magazines can carry more bullets. It has an increased magazine capacity of 17 rounds, compared to 13 rounds for the Browning.

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Personnel across all 3 Services will begin to receive the new 9-millimetre (mm) calibre Glock 17s in the coming weeks and troops deployed to Afghanistan will be among the first to use the new weapon. The contract with Viking Arms Ltd of Harrogate, Yorkshire, also includes more than 25,000 holsters.

A Glock 17 pistol (left) and the Browning the new pistols will replace [Picture: Andrew Linnett, Crown Copyright/MOD 2013]

Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Anderson, Royal Marines, who trialled the new weapon before the contract was awarded, said:

Pistols are vital in close combat and are a key part of a soldier’s armoury. Reliable, light and easy to carry, the Glock inspires confidence and performs exceptionally well.

Britain reins in defence equipment costs and project delays

Britain's Defence Ministry has begun to improve the way it handles major procurement areas, but must still do more to keep costs and delays under control, parliament's spending watchdog said on Thursday.

MPs and state agencies have frequently criticised the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in recent years for letting costs and timelines on multi-million dollar programmes run out of control.
That criticism has grown more acute as Britain struggles to rein in a big budget deficit through state spending cuts that have squeezed voter incomes.
"In respect of its largest defence projects, there are early signs that the Ministry of Defence has begun to make realistic trade-offs between cost, time, technical requirements and the amount of equipment to be purchased," the National Audit Office said in a statement on its latest report into MoD projects.
The report covers the ministry's 16 largest projects, including A400M transport aircraft built by Airbus, Astute submarines and aircraft carriers built by BAE Systems, and the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme.
The audit office said in the 2011/2012 budget year under a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition there had been a total slippage of 139 months in forecast delivery times, and a cost increase of 468 million pounds.
That meant that, since the projects were approved, costs had increased by about 6.6 billion pounds, or 12 percent. Delays across the 16 projects totalled 468 months, the office said.

British Pioneers Launch Private Navy to Combat Piracy in Indian Ocean

A private navy founded by businessmen, former marines, retired captains and soldiers will protect its first group of oil tankers and bulk carriers from pirates in the Indian Ocean in late March or April, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Typhon, a venture formed by a group of U.K. businessmen led by Glencore International’s Chairman Simon Murray, will recruit 240 former marines and sailors for its navy. This is the first undertaking of its kind in nearly 200 years in the United Kingdom.

These pioneers are frustrated at the inability of various governmental agencies and navies to effectively secure the shipping lanes in a substantially small area of ocean, mainly because they lack the budget to do so.

This private navy will include a mother ship, high-speed armored patrol boats, and armed soldiers.  Their aim is to deter pirates rather than engage in gunfights.

RT reports that the vessel will be UK-flagged, which would give them the legal right to carry their weapons into harbor rather than keep them on platforms in international waters. The navy’s funding will come from shipping firms - in much the same way as the cargo ships sailing under Russian, Chinese and Indian flags hire private convoys.

Stunning images show off size of giant warships

THEY are the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy – and these newly-released graphics show their sheer scale better than ever.

The Aircraft Carrier Alliance – a consortium of defence companies behind the construction of Portsmouth’s newest carriers – has released a series of powerful posters showing off the size of the warships.
The computer-generated images show the warships dwarfing some of the country’s most recognisable landmarks.
And one of the most striking posters is of the under-construction HMS Queen Elizabeth berthed alongside in Portsmouth.
Ian Booth, the programme director of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, said: ‘These posters depict the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers in front of the Houses of Parliament and in Portsmouth.
‘They’re stunning images and show that Portsmouth can expect two really spectacular ships to be resident at the city’s naval base once construction is complete.’
A computer-generated image released last year showed how the first of the two carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, would look alongside at Portsmouth Naval Base.
Now the image has been used in the series of posters which put the size of the ships into context.
The images reveal the length of the ship is the equivalent of 28 London buses and is almost three times the size of Buckingham Palace.

Britain orders GPS anti-jam system

Raytheon UK reports it has been contracted by Britain's Ministry of Defense for a new GPS Anti-Jam Antenna System for use by land vehicles.

The award was issued under an Urgent Operational Requirement. It is the first for the company's GPS Anti-Jam Land product family.

Delivery of the systems to the Defense Ministry will be completed within six months, Raytheon said.

"Raytheon UK has a track record of on-time delivery for GPS AJ systems, having delivered over 7,000 units for air and naval capabilities in the U.K. and U.S.," said Bob Delorge, chief executive, Raytheon UK.

British industry in line for £1bn boost from Kuwait

Britain's security industry is in store for a potential £1bn boost as a result of a government-to-government agreement between the UK and Kuwait.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was working with the Kuwaiti government to enhance Kuwait’s homeland security.

Under the agreement, the British Government would manage the project and award contracts to British companies on Kuwait’s behalf.

It is understood the partnership would be worth around £100m to £150m every year for the next seven years to the UK.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said that a letter of “mutual intent” had been signed by Britain and Kuwait on Thursday, allowing negotiations on the government-to-government deal to go ahead.

“Securing the agreement would represent a significant opportunity for UK industry. In addition to the value of the Kuwait Security Programme, there will be considerable associated investment, and the prospect for further commercial growth,” the spokesman said.

The security programme would be run by a branch of the Foreign Office called FCO Services, and would address a range of both physical and virtual threats to Kuwait.

Britain will lose nuclear capability for 20 years if Scotland votes for independence

Britain would lose its nuclear deterrent for two decades if Scotland votes for independence because it would no longer have the capability to house Trident submarines.

Scottish independence will force the remainder of the UK to abandon nuclear weapons for at least two decades, according to report by MPs published today.

The Commons Scottish Affairs select committee said it would be possible to move Trident submarines and their missiles from their base on the Clyde within two weeks of separation.

However, the construction of replacement facilities south of the Border could take up to 20 years, they said, effectively forcing the UK Government into “unilateral nuclear disarmament”.

The Continuous At Sea Deterrent, whereby at least one of the submarines is patrolling the UK’s shores around the clock, would stop as a result.

UK intelligence officers knew of CIA's rendition plans within days of 9/11

Meeting at British embassy in US raises questions about repeated denials by MI5 and MI6 of connivance in torture

 Jack Straw, who told MPs in 2005 there was 'simply no truth in the claims that the United Kingdom has been involved in rendition

Within days of the 9/11 attacks on the US, the CIA told British intelligence officers of its plans to abduct al-Qaida suspects and fly them to secret prisons where they would be systematically abused.
The meeting, at the British embassy in Washington, is disclosed in a forthcoming book by the Guardian journalist Ian Cobain. It raises serious questions about repeated claims by senior MI5 and MI6 officers that they were slow to appreciate the US response to the attacks, and never connived in torture.
The meeting signalled to British officials that the US was preparing to embark on a global kidnapping programme which became known as extraordinary rendition. Cobain reveals that at the end of a three-hour presentation by Cofer Black, President George Bush's top counter-terrorist adviser, Mark Allen – his opposite number in MI6 – commented that it all sounded "rather bloodcurdling".

Britain, Hungary seek more cybersecurity

Budapest, Hungary - Tough economic times are heightening the need for more and better international efforts to counter ever-rising cybercrime, Britain and Hungary said this week.

Official representatives of the two nations will be among the more than 600 participants attending this week's Budapest Conference on Cyberspace, which is attracting international business, government and organization leaders to brainstorm the potential and pitfalls of the world's reliance on the Internet.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and his Hungarian counterpart Janos Martonyi said Tuesday they will be seeking to build on the agenda first discussed at last year's London Conference on Cyberspace.

That event focused on the Internet's growth and development, its social benefits and how to ensure safe and reliable access for all -- those topics will again be examined in Budapest.

Two other panels will again address cybercrime and international security, with latest emerging threats to be discussed.

Those threats must be urgently addressed as economically stressed Europeans increasingly turn to the Internet for the necessary functions of work and life, Hague and Martonyi wrote in a joint statement.

"Our meeting comes at crucial time," they said. "The global economic climate means we must work harder to maintain and enhance the benefits of the Internet for all.

Philip Hammond: British troops could withdraw from Afghanistan before 2014

British troops could pull out of Afghanistan sooner than expected, the Defence Secretary has indicated.

The speed at which the Armed Forces are leaving the country could increase next year as Afghan authorities take control of the fight against the Taliban.

Philip Hammond said military commanders had been surprised at the Afghans’ readiness to “take the lion’s share of the combat role” from British forces.

He insisted the UK would not be “spooked” by a growing number of “green on blue” attacks in which Afghan soldiers attack Nato colleagues, including five such deaths in recent months.

Shadow international development secretary Ivan Lewis told MPs yesterday that there had been 34 incidents involving coalition forces, causing 45 deaths.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening admitted it was “concerning” and last month, President Obama expressed concern over a string of killings by Afghan police or soldiers.

British soldier killed in Afghanistan

A British soldier was killed by a roadside bomb on Sunday in Afghanistan’s restive Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence in London said.
“It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce the death of a soldier from The Light Dragoons,” the MoD said in a statement.
The soldier was killed when the vehicle in which he was travelling struck an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of the southern province of Helmand, the statement added.
No further details were given about the soldier’s identity.
The soldier’s death brought to 427 the number of British troops killed since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001. Of these, at least 387 have died as a result of hostile action.

High Court rejects probe into Malayan Emergency 'massacre'

Campaigners calling for an official investigation into the alleged massacre of 24 Malaysian rubber plantation workers by British troops more than 60 years ago lost a High Court fight today.

relatives of victims challenged a Government decision not to hold an inquiry into the shootings at Batang Kali, Malaya, in December 1948.

Judge ruled against them following a hearing in London in May.

British troops were conducting operations against communist insurgents during the Malayan Emergency when the plantation workers were killed, judges heard.

Relatives described the alleged killings as a "a blot on British colonisation and decolonisation" and said there was enough evidence to justify an independent inquiry.

They asked judges to overturn the Government's refusal to hold a formal investigation.

1,000 British Troops Are Expected To Be Investigated For War Crimes In Iraq

Hundreds of British troops to be questioned over 'weak' war crime allegations

Up to 1,000 British troops are expected to be investigated for crimes allegedly committed during the Iraq war, it can be revealed. 

Investigators with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) have already identified more than 100 serving and former members of the armed forces who they want to interview about the alleged torture of Iraqi civilians.

But the number under investigation is expected to rise rapidly over the next 12 months as IHAT detectives begin reviewing the evidence from two public inquiries into alleged war crimes.

One, the al-Sweady Inquiry into the so-called Battle of Danny Boy in 2004, has already identified more than 500 troops who will have to give evidence and who will also be interviewed by IHAT.

Members of the SAS, the SBS, interrogators from a unit called the Joint Support Group, medics, senior officers and hundreds of soldiers are expected to be questioned.

British lawyers acting for the Iraqis claim the abuse took place between 2003 and 2008, when many civilians were detained on suspicion of being in Shia militia groups.

The vast majority of the allegations are based on witness statements by Iraqis, most of whom are seeking financial compensation from Britain, say senior sources.

Chavez Warns London Against Assaulting Ecuadorian Embassy

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened London with radical measures in case British authorities attempt to break into the Embassy of Ecuador to arrest WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Assange has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for two months as he fights extradition to Sweden on sex crime charges, which he denies. Last Thursday Assange was granted asylum in Ecuador but he still faces arrest the minute he steps out of the embassy building.
“If Britain decides to violate the sovereignty of Ecuador, our response will be radical. We advise the British government to think well over this since the epoch, when empires did whatever they wanted to, is long over,” Chavez told a national television.

Britain faces legal challenge over secret US 'kill list' in Afghanistan

Afghan man who lost relatives in missile strike says UK role in supplying information to US military may be unlawful
 Britain's role in supplying information to an American military "kill list" in Afghanistan is being subjected to legal challenge amid growing international concern over targeted strikes against suspected insurgents and drug traffickers.
An Afghan man who lost five relatives in a missile strike started proceedings against the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and the Ministry of Defence demanding to know details of the UK's participation "in the compilation, review and execution of the list and what form it takes".
Legal letters sent to Soca and the MoD state the involvement of UK officials in these decisions "may give rise to criminal offences and thus be unlawful". They say Britain's contribution raises several concerns, particularly in cases where international humanitarian laws protecting civilians and non-combatants may have been broken.

British Soldiers Protecting The Olympics Must Sleep In A Sweltering, Cramped And Poorly-Lit Underground Car Park

Poor: These are the spartan sleeping conditions facing many of the British heroes helping provide security at the Olympics

 Grim: More than 2,000 soldiers guarding London venues are forced to share a sweltering, cramped and poorly-lit concrete bunker at a disused shopping centre at Tobacco Dock

• More than 2,000 soldiers guarding London venues are sharing a sweltering, cramped and poorly-lit concrete bunker at a disused shopping centre
• One soldier’s furious mother said the billets were ‘worse than Afghanistan’
•  

In a grimy underground car park, row upon row of camp beds are crammed together.
These are the spartan sleeping conditions facing many of the British heroes helping provide security at the Olympics.
More than 2,000 soldiers guarding London venues are forced to share a sweltering, cramped and poorly-lit concrete bunker at a disused shopping centre.
The stench from a row of overflowing portable lavatories wafts through Tobacco Dock, near Tower Bridge, which has green military cots spread along nearly every corridor as every available piece of space is used.
Local businesses and shops have stepped in to top up the soldiers’ Army rations – offering half-price pizzas and fast food.

Israel warns of Iranian terrorists’ attack on London Olympics

 London—Israeli officials have warned that an Iranian terror squad in Europe may be planning to attack its athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games, sparking the largest security operation in peacetime Britain, British media reported on Sunday.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, more than 17,000 troops and 7,000 private security guards will secure the Olympic Park and 26 other venues, and an additional 12,500 police will be deployed to patrol London’s streets in a “series of ‘rings of steel.’”

The Sunday Times reports further that “panic rooms have been installed beneath the stadium as a haven for VIPs and spectators in the event of an attack.” MI5 and New Scotland Yard are reportedly thought to have raised their threat assessment in light of the terrorist attack in Bulgaria on Wednesday that killed 5 Israelis, the bus driver and a suicide bomber. In addition, the Sunday Times reports, the Israeli government has dispatched agents from the Shin Bet and Mossad to protect its 38-strong delegation.

British Helicopter Engineers Overcome the Heat in Afghanistan

As daytime temperatures soar towards 50 degrees Celsius in the shade in Afghanistan the heat is on for the engineers who keep the fleet of helicopters in the air.

The tri-Service Joint Aviation Group provides rotary wing support to British and coalition forces. At Camp Bastion in Helmand province RAF Chinook and Merlin crews operate alongside colleagues from the Army Air Corps and the Fleet Air Arm flying Apache, Lynx and Sea King helicopters.

For the ground crew who keep the aircraft serviceable the extreme heat of the summer months brings with it a unique set of engineering challenges.

The Merlin HC3 helicopters of 1419 Flight are being operated by 78 Squadron's A Flight from RAF Benson: "When we first came here last July and got off the aircraft at midnight it was like walking into an oven," said Senior Aircraftman Chris Bird. "I didn't expect it to be that hot in the middle of the night."

"The aircraft isn't specifically designed to operate in these extreme temperatures, which brings with it a whole host of engineering challenges which we don't see in the UK," said Flight Lieutenant Suzie Gray.

"For example the engines require cleaning regularly, which requires more manpower, and our other equipment can also overheat very quickly in the height of summer," continued the junior Engineering Officer.

"These helos were primarily designed for the North Sea environment and the vast amount of avionics equipment fitted does get to a phenomenal temperature out here," explained Corporal Stuart Robertson, an Avionics Technician.

British immigration laws spark Pakistan wedding boom

New British immigration laws have unleashed a stampede to wed and a frenzy of English lessons for Pakistanis desperate to migrate as new restrictions come into effect.
The boom was particularly marked in Mirpur, where Islamabad estimates 200,000 of Britain’s 1.2 million Pakistanis have their family origins.
Almost all the town’s 403,000 residents have relatives in the former colonial power, after a huge surge of migration from the area in the 1960s when a major dam was built, costing thousands of farmers their livelihoods.
At the time Britain needed more workers for its factories in the industrial cities of central and northern England, and granted immigration permits to many of them and their families.
Now with immigration an increasingly controversial issue in Britain, Mirpuris rushed to secure residency rights before the door was pushed tighter.
Wedding planners were rushed off their feet, English teachers overwhelmed and immigration consultants buried under mounds of paperwork as brides and grooms queued to file immigration papers by July 6, the last working day before the deadline.
Faisal Mehmood, a self-styled immigration consultant, said business was several times higher than the six to eight cases he normally processes a week.
“I consulted on and helped fill in immigration papers for 53 couples in the first week of July,” he told AFP in his office in Mirpur, the wealthiest town in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, 83 kilometres (50 miles) east of Islamabad.
From July 9, new restrictions made it impossible for anyone who earns less than £18,600 ($29,000) a year to move a foreign spouse to Britain, or less than £22,400 if that spouse has a child.
To acquire British nationality, foreign spouses now have to wait five rather than two years to test whether a relationship is genuine, must be proficient in English and once in Britain, pass a Life in the UK test.
For Britons of Pakistani descent, April is by tradition the peak month for holidays and weddings in their parents’ homeland, before the summer heat becomes unbearable for those accustomed to northern climes.
But wedding planners say they saw record business from Britons in June and the first week of July, with nuptials up 20 percent in Mirpur so far this year.
Arshad Hussein Shah, the manager of eight marriage halls, said his company organised weddings for 15 Britons from June 1 to July 6.
“There was a sudden surge because the UK government changed the immigration laws for spouses and everybody rushed to marry and file papers before the deadline,” he said.
It was a similar tale for Ali Raza, managing director of the UK College of English Language, who says 35 students enrolled in June — 50 percent more than usual.
“There were more girls than boys. Everybody wanted to complete a quick English course and obtain certificates to file immigration papers,” said Raza.
“Nobody was expecting this sudden implementation of the new laws. It created panic among the candidates,” he added.
Batool Bukhari, 25, married her cousin in April and raced through an English course as quickly as possible.
“I applied for immigration in the second week of June. I had to rush my application when I found out that the new laws are being implemented soon. It was very tense,” said Bukhari.
In Islamabad, the British High Commission said there had been a “significant increase” in the number of applications to join a spouse and live permanently in Britain ahead of the new rules coming into force.
The surge has caused delays in processing applications, the commission said, with some taking up to six months to be resolved.
For those who missed the deadline, the new rules mean new uncertainty.
Naeem Lodhi, 32, who has dreamt of moving to Britain since childhood, married on June 22 but was unable to file the necessary paperwork in time.
“My wife, who came here to marry me, is leaving for the UK in a month. I’m worried about my immigration because her salary is much lower than the amount required,” he said.
Similarly, a hairdresser in London who gave her name only as Irum married her cousin on July 1 after a seven-year engagement, but was depressed about their chances of married life in Britain.
“I don’t know when will I be able to live with my husband in the UK,” she said, adding she would have to find a better paid job.
“It may take weeks, months or years. I don’t know, I am really not sure about my future.

BAE, IBM to Jointly Bid for UK Air Defense Network

We have joined forces with IBM to bid for the first increment of the UK Network Enabled Airspace Defence & Surveillance (NEADS) programme

NEADS is the future Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) programme which will replace Rapier missiles and introduce networked command and control, providing protection against air attack to UK forces when deployed on operations. The programme will be introduced over a number of increments; the first of which will lay the foundations for the Command and Control (C2) architecture for all future phases.

Software components from IBM and BAE Systems are already in operation with the RAF and Royal Artillery so this combined approach is a low risk and cost effective solution for the customer. It will also significantly reduce the training burden for operators already trained and using the software.

The team brings together the RAF’s in-service command, control and air picture compilation capabilities for UK air defence provided by IBM, and the Royal Artillery GBAD C2 software provided by BAE Systems. This combination of systems, which have seen significant input from the user in the design, will improve effectiveness across air defence operations.

Understanding what is happening in the airspace and the ability to coordinate activities between air users and weapon system commanders is crucial to air defence operations. Making sure these operators have the very best information at their fingertips is critical to ensuring the UK armed forces are successful and safe in operations.

Alun Fishburne, Managing Director of BAE Systems, Defence Information says: “Our teaming with IBM for the NEADS programme will bring a step change in capability at what we believe will be very low risk. By joining together we are offering proven systems into one integrated solution”.

Phillip Jolley, Operational Information Systems Lead for Public Sector, IBM Global Business Services, UK and Ireland added “As we have demonstrated at the Farnborough Air Show, the capability to integrate and build on operationally proven solutions offers a low risk approach to what is a very important programme for future UK joint operations”

The MOD main gate for the programme is expected in September 2013.