Politics-First-September-2014

Getting the RAF view
to where it matters
The RAF FF gathers evidence from regular and reserve personnel,
(including single personnel) and their close family members on issues
causing them concern.
The Federation is funded by the RAF but is independent of the chain of
command and seeks to represent these views to infl uence policy and bring
about changes for the better.
The RAF FF also provides a signposting service; maintains a
comprehensive website; produces Envoy, its quarterly magazine and uses
social media to promote its work and gather further evidence.
The RAF FF engages at high level through:
Regular briefi ngs with Ministers
Evidence to the HCDC
Annual formal evidence to the AFPRB
The Service Complaints Commissioner
The Welsh Assembly
The RAF Senior Leadership Team
The RAF FF is contributing to:
The Armed Forces Covenant
The New Employment Model
Reserves 2020 Welfare Policy
To follow RAF FF activity:
register at www.raf-ff.org.uk
to receive Envoy and
eBULLETIN
facebook.com/RAFFamFed
twitter.com/RAF_FF
www.raf-ff.org.uk
01780 781650
enquiries@raf-ff.org.uk
John Tubman, Group Defence Director for Europe, Middle East
and India at URS, speaks to Marcus Papadopoulos about
the UK defence industry
Q How will the UK’s defence needs
change over the next decade?
Naturally the UK must maintain the ability
to protect its own national security, but as
a nation with global interests it must do
so in cooperation with allies and partners.
Rather than a safer world, today the UK
faces an ever widening spectrum of threats.
Hybrid warfare has emerged, where conflicts
are fought on digital and economic fronts,
through proxies and by covert special forces.
Amid this uncertainty, the UK must maintain
a balanced, flexible and agile capability to
react to threats both at home and overseas.
It must also harden its defences in new
ways, strengthening the physical protection
and operational resilience of critical national
infrastructure. This may mean rethinking the
design and operation of facilities to contain
the impact of terrorist attacks and mitigate
natural disasters.
Q Does the UK have the required
defence capabilities for a changing
global geopolitical landscape?
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is currently
pursuing an ambitious equipment
programme, having brought its plans
in line with resources over the past two
years. But budgets are tight, as Ministers
have conceded, and there are still some
acknowledged capability gaps. There are
www.politicsfirst.org.uk
challenges maintaining adequate personnel
levels, especially in specialised areas.
The compatibility of equipment and
interconnection of logistics with other
NATO forces is another issue. Agreed
standards and shared protocols can cut
costs and increase effectiveness in the field.
Pooling of expertise can also help ensure
the lessons of recent conflicts are more
widely learned.
Q What role can industry play in
supporting the UK’s defence needs?
Defence is no longer a matter exclusively
for the military establishment or the
Government’s National Security Council.
Civilian involvement is on the rise, from
greater reliance on Reserve Forces to
closer relationships with industry.
The private sector is providing support
and services in vital areas, including close
to the front line. Industry can support a
more flexible approach to provisioning
through better intelligence gathering,
producing supplies in short order at times
of need rather than stockpiling.
Today, defence typically draws on private
sector innovation and is increasingly
engaged in outsourcing. Both the Defence
Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and
Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S)
have turned to industry to aid delivery.
The savings and efficiencies generated are
likely to help meet future budget constraints.
Increasingly, private sector contracts for
military services will mirror the international
cooperation of NATO. Global companies
bring vital international expertise that is
transferrable to the UK, as well as the
required scale and innovation.
Q What benefits does the defence
industry bring to the UK?
The economic benefits of the defence
industry are insufficiently appreciated.
It adds around £23bn to the UK economy
and directly employs 162,000 people and
almost as many indirectly. Defence exports
are worth around £9bn per annum.
The impact on regions where defence work
is concentrated can be much greater,
especially if opportunities for other
employment are limited. There is also
scope for increased engagement with young
people from disadvantaged backgrounds
through apprenticeships and training.
Q Why is defence a priority
for Government?
The provision of defence and security
is the first responsibility of Government,
without which no country can develop and
prosper, economically, socially or politically.
Government must balance many priorities,
but defence spending has been repeatedly
cut. Reduced budgets necessitate private
sector engagement. Industry can deliver
value for money through competition,
economies of scale and by bringing
best practice and innovation to bear.
Q What do you hope for in the
2015 Strategic Defence and
Security Review (SDSR)?
A fresh assessment of threats to the
UK’s vital interests is essential. Given the
current geopolitical landscape, maintaining
current budgetary commitments is prudent
provided wider economic circumstances
permit. A full threat assessment should
identify the evolving risks to critical national
infrastructure and establish a programme
to increase protection. We would welcome
increased opportunities for industry to help
cut costs, releasing more resources for the
front line. We would also like to see improved
conditions and incentives for reservists,
who must balance military duties with
career commitments.
ADVERTORIAL
In association with URS
September/October 2014 Politics First 45