Ministry of Defence: The Defence Review

Defence Procurement 1992

By The Rt. Hon Benjamin Walker MP

Secretary of State for Defence

The New Scenario

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 Ministry of Defence: The Defence Review

Defence Procurement 1992

By The Rt. Hon Benjamin Walker MP

Secretary of State for Defence

The New Scenario

The New Scenario is the situation the British Government and her peoples find itself
in, the immediate aftermath, of the collapse of the Soviet Union and closure of the Cold
War. The succeeding principle of this review is how to defend United Kingdom and her
sovereign territories in this new political climate. This review is concerned with
outlining the new direction and agenda for the Ministry of Defence in the post Cold
War era. This paper entitled The New Scenario shall focus on the defence needs of
Great Britain in The New Scenario and shall look at the new threats, the new
requirements, and new technologies required to retain our military strength, capability
and prestige.

Introduction

It is important to recognise that the nature of warfare and defence has profoundly
changed in the twentieth century as a result of a scientific and technological revolution.
There has been a fundamental shift in the mantra of war and defence whereby quantity no
longer equates to quality. Quality lies in the efficiency, accuracy, speed and ability of an
armed force to deliver results and carry out its objectives. It is also important, in this new
era we find ourselves in, to recognise the new threats and the new channels of attack the
United Kingdom faces. This review is designed to create a dynamic and robust defence
force for the United Kingdom by the modernising, restructuring and harnessing of these
new technologies. This new climate and need to harness technology inevitably leads to a
reduction in the need for a large conventional army. No longer is there the need and risk
to send in large numbers of troops to disable an enemy infrastructure when smart missile
technology combined with air superiority and a smaller, more professional force can now
achieve this. We must also focus on our logistic capability to deploy troops all over the
globe rapidly. The Falklands war and the most recent liberation of Kuwait demonstrate
this need. This requirement for immediate and rapid deployment all over the globe is the
task the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force face. They have this capability already and it is
imperative we optimise this capability in line with creating a modern force. This is the
future nature of warfare and defence and it is what we shall, and need, to create.

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The British Army

The British Army shall be at the very epicentre of the process of modernisation. With the
harnessing of technology and the fall of the Soviet Union there is reduced demand for a
large personnel army. No longer do we need such a vast and expensive force to defend us
from totalitarian aggression coming from the continent. With ever improving relations
with Europe, diminished threat from the Soviet Union and of course new technology we
no longer are compelled to pursue such high expenditure. I believe it is always necessary
to have an efficient fighting force and it is possible to create such a force through the
procurement and construction of a modern fighting force. This enables us to reduce
spending from the MOD budget without having to sacrifice military strength What we
do need to focus on is the ability of The British Army to be rapidly deployed anywhere in
the world and be fully trained to carry out their operations in every and any theatre of
war. This shall be the main objective of the process of modernisation, it is also why it is
necessary to make reductions in the number of military and civilian personnel currently
employed. I also believe it necessary and logical to amalgamate some regiments making
them more efficient and versatile; in line with this principle the British Army shall also
be reducing its presence on the Rhine.

The Ministry of Defence is pressing ahead with the modernisation of the British Army in
a panoply of other areas. With 14,000 Defence Researchers developing effective and
pioneering technologies and another 50 meteorological to be hired in the coming budget
the British Army will have access to a hub of innovation to assist them in their
operations. The Challenger II tank shall also enter into service shortly and is a real
paragon of a modern fighting tank. It is equipped with the most advanced systems and is
a superior vehicle to all its rivals in that particular class of tank. It shall be an effective
addition to the capabilities of the British Army and is a worthy successor to the extremely
successful Challenger I.

I am also recommending that we reduce the number of military hospitals from three to
one. The remaining hospital shall become a more specialist facility for military casualties
whilst the investment, maintenance costs and staff will be directed to the NHS. NHS
hospitals shall then introduce military wings in order to cope with this new requirement.
This expands the spread of military care around the country and enables more investment
to go the NHS.

The ability of our troops to fight and deal with a NBC (Nuclear, Biological and
Chemical) attack is also being enhanced. This is one of the crucial requests from our
military chiefs in the wake of Operation Granby and it is something that has already been
rectified. £220 Million pounds has already been directed to this cause and our troops are
already receiving new equipment and improved training.

The recommendations for the British Army are;

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 1) Reducing the size of the British Army by 95,000 troops over 5 years
2) Reducing the size of our civilian personnel by 22,500 over 3 years
3) Amalgamating a number of regiments in the Infantry, Cavalry, Logistical and
Service Regiments
4) Half the number of British Troops on The Rhine.
5) Renaming the British Army on the Rhine to the British Army in Germany.
6) Further procurement and training into NBC warfare
7) Investment in NBC warfare to reach £1.1 Billion in the next five years.
8) Amalgamate all infantry decisions into 6 divisions for administrative purposes
and reduced maintenance costs.
9) Merge British Army HQ with RAF HQ and Royal Navy HQ at Northwood for
improved coordination and reduced maintenance costs
10) Close two military hospitals and direct funds and staff to the NHS who can make
the necessary provisions to deal with military casualties.

This list details the newly created regiments. It shows what regiments have been
amalgamated and the new size of the regiment.

Infantry

The Highlanders Regiment – 1 Battalion

i. The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)
ii. The Gordon Highlanders

The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment – 2 Battalions

i. The Queen’s Regiment
ii. The Royal Hampshire Regiment

The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment – 1 Battalion

i. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal regiment
ii. The Gloucestershire Regiment

The Royal Ghurkha Rifles – 3 Battalions

i. 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Ghurkha Rifles
ii. 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Ghurkha Rifles
iii. 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Ghurkha Rifles
iv. 10th Princess Mary’s Own Ghurkha Rifles

The Royal Irish regiment and Ulster Defence Regiment – 2 Battalions

i. The Royal Irish Rangers (27th,83rd and 87th)
ii. The Ulster Defence regiment

The Cheshire and Staffordshire Regiment – 1 Battalion

i. The Cheshire regiment
ii. The Staffordshire Regiment

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The Following Regiments shall all lose 1 Battalion from their present size
i. The Grenadier Guards
ii. The Coldstream Guards
iii. The Scots Guards
iv. The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
v. The Royal Anglican Regiment
vi. The Light Infantry
vii. The Royal Green Jackets

Cavalry Regiments

The Household Cavalry Regiment

i. The Life Guards
ii. The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse guards And 1st Dragoons

Both regiments shall retain regimental identity in order to carry out their ceremonial
duties for Her Majesty the Queen

The King Royal Hussars

i. The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own)
ii. 14th & 20th King’s Hussars

The Light Dragoons

i. 13th & 18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own)
ii. 15th & 19th The King’s Royal Hussars

The Queen’s Royal Hussars

i. The Queen’s Own Hussars
ii. The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars

The Queen’s Royal Lancers

i. 5th & 16th Queen’s Royal Lancers
ii. 17th & 21st Lancers

The Royal Dragoon Guards

i. 4th & 7th Royal Dragoon Guards
ii. 5th Royal Dragoon Guards

Logistical and Support Regiments

Royal Logistic Corps

i. Royal Corps of Transport

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 ii. Royal Army Ordnance Corps
iii. Royal Pioneer Corps
iv. Army Catering Corps
v. Royal Engineers and Postal & Courier Service

Adjutant General’s Corps

i. Royal Army Educational Corps
ii. Royal Army Pay Corps
iii. Women’s Royal Army Corps
iv. Army Legal Corps
v. Corps of Royal Military Police
vi. Military Provost Staff Corps

Any regiments not listed above remain unaffected and unchanged from their current
position.

The six newly created divisions are listed below with the regiments included also listed
under that heading.

Household Division
i. Grenadier Guards
ii. Coldstream Guards
iii. Scots Guards
iv. Irish Guards
v. Welsh Guards

Scottish Division
i. Royal Scots Guards
ii. King’s Own Scottish Borderers
iii. Royal Highland Fusiliers
iv. Black Watch
v. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
vi. The Highlanders

King’s Division
i. Green Howards
ii. Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
iii. Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire
iv. Queen’s Lancashire Regiment
v. King’s Own Royal Border Regiment
vi. King’s Regiment

Queen’s Division

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 i. Princess of Wales’s Regiment
ii. Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
iii. Royal Anglican Regiment

Prince of Wales’s Division

i. Cheshire Regiment
ii. Royal Welch Fusiliers
iii. Royal Regiment of Wales
iv. Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
v. Devonshire and Dorset regiment
vi. Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
vii. Staffordshire Regiment

Light Division
i. Light Infantry
ii. Royal Green Jackets

The Royal Air Force

This review is the active mission of the Government to create a modern, effective and
rapidly deployable force. The Royal Air Force is without doubt the most suited branch of
our armed forces to achieve these objectives and it is the foundation of such a force, the
Royal Air Force is truly our long arm that reaches all around the globe. Success in
combat cannot be achieved without air superiority and the recent war in the Persian Gulf
is testament to the decisive advantage it offers. The RAF was much faster and easier to
deploy in the region and our Tornado’s did unprecedented damage to enemy forces and
infrastructure before our troops were even inserted. The RAF was integral to the victory
over Iraq and it shall continue to be at the very forefront of military capabilities, it shall
also receive all the necessary investment, training for pilots and technological
development to keep it as internationally renowned and advanced strike force. The RAF
will also continue to oversee the No-Fly Zones in Iraq from our bases in Turkey. This is a
necessary part of the post war strategy and is a moral obligation we have to those citizens
of Iraq who feel threatened and persecuted. These flights shall continue until such a time
that the situation no longer requires our intervention.

At present we are continuing to further the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon, the
Eurofighter itself, is the product of our need for a first-rate fighter aircraft. It has been
developed in harmony with our European allies and has combined the most innovative
and advanced technologies of all countries concerned. BAE has played a crucial and
dominant role in the development of the Typhoon and this demonstrates the capability of
British industry to pioneer such sophisticated technology. In addition to this, the RAF
shall soon be welcoming the Tornado GR4 into active service. The GR4 is the very

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pinnacle of a modern aircraft and incorporates new capabilities and flying systems to the
already proficient Tornado aircraft, this gives the RAF the most modern aircraft in order
to execute its missions. The RAF Harrier fleet is still a fully functional part of the RAF
and the Harrier aircraft itself is still the embodiment of what a modern aircraft should be.
It’s flying and weapons systems are still the beacons of modern technology they were
when the aircraft was first introduced.

At present I believe our current logistical and support aircraft have the capacity to deliver
any requirements we may have of them. The Hercules C-130 and Chinook are
particularly reliant aircraft that did a superb job during the liberation of Kuwait. Our Sea
King Helicopters also play a valuable multi functional role.

With the introduction of the GR4 and imminent arrival of the Eurofighter Typhoon and
the reduced need for sorties by the RAF I feel it is the right moment to withdraw the F-4
Phantom II from service. The ageing bomber is no longer fully utilised in our military
operations with the Tornado F3 being able to perform all the missions formerly carried
out by the Phantom II. The Phantom II is also particularly expensive to maintain and
withdrawing its squadrons from service is coherent with our policy and a cogent move.

We shall also be reducing the number of RAF battalions in Germany from four Battalions
to two respectively. This shall result in reduced maintenance costs and fewer sorties
flown. In the future we shall be looking at further reducing the RAF presence in Germany
and close RAF Laarbruch.

I also believe it is time to reconsider

The key recommendations for the RAF are as follows;

1) Upgrade 142 Tornado GR1 to the Tornado GR4 standard

2) Deliver the Eurofighter Typhoon into active service
3) Withdraw the F-4 Phantom II from active service immediately
4) Reduce the four RAF battalions in Germany to two within 1 year
5) Continue to upgrade and improve our logistical and support aircraft
6) Reduce RAF pilot numbers 13,000 in line with the reduction in squadrons
and patrols.
7) Reduce RAF civilian personnel in the RAF by 6,000 within three years
8) Continue to oversee the No-Fly Zones in Iraq from our bases in Turkey
9) Closure of RAF Finningley and RAF Scampton within 1 year
10) Replacement of Nimrod MR2 and procurement of Nimrod 2000.
11) Merge RAF HQ with British Army HQ and Royal Navy HQ at Northwood
for improved coordination and reduced maintenance costs.

The Royal Navy

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The Royal Navy has a proud history of defending our nation and has always had an
integral role, today; it shall continue in its proud history and continue to have that integral
role in defending our country. The Royal Navy is the most versatile and self sustaining
branch of armed forces. Its ability to be a huge troop carrier is unsurpassed and this
capacity is vital to the success of any military campaign. The large volume of supplies it
can deliver simultaneously with troops is also vital to such campaigns. Its combative
capabilities are equally versatile and fearsome. The artillery on board our Destroyers,
Cruisers and Gunships can still be an effective form offensive and this has been proved in
both Kuwaiti and Falkland conflicts. The other crucial key aspect of our success in
Kuwait was of course the cruise missile. The cruise missile was a huge deterrent to the
Soviet Union during the Cold War and was an unbelievably effective weapon in
Operation Granby. Its pinpoint accuracy is a deadly weapon and this enables us to engage
the enemy without harming innocent civilians. This is truly the essence of what modern
warfare and defence should be and it is without doubt the future of it. Smart Missile
technology shall be the highest priority for future procurement as it is imperative we have
the most advanced form of this effective weapon. This is why it is crucial to look to new
versions of this weapon and why procurement of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile is so
vital.

This report also recommends the updating of our current Westland ASW Sea King’s be
replaced by the more reliable Augusta Westland EH101, this is already going on in
partnership with the Italian Navy. I believe this new ASW Helicopter will be a needed
enhancement to our ASW capabilities and prevent future tragedies such as those suffered
during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

The Armilla Patrol is integral part of Royal Navy strategy and this Government shall
ensure that this patrol continues to carry out its role. The importance of the Armilla patrol
was highlighted by the recent conflict in the Middle East and the speed with which
Kuwait was liberated was greatly assisted by the Armilla Patrol carrying out its vital
work. The Middle East shall continue to dominate Politics and will undoubtedly be the
biggest threat to international security in the post Soviet era.

With the Armilla Patrol being necessary due to the volatility in the Middle East it is
logical therefore that we reduce the number of patrols that we needed when the Soviet
threat was at its highest. This is why we shall reduce but not eliminate the number of
patrols around the North Sea and Scandinavia. We shall reduce these patrols in line with
the threat posed by Russia so therefore the initial reduction in patrols shall be minimal,
though naturally as this threat is diminishes, so to will the number of patrols.

The Royal navy is also in charge with the carrying of Britain’s Independent Nuclear
Deterrent with the introduction of the Vanguard Class of Submarine. The Vanguard
Submarine itself shall be entering service shortly with the introduction of the Trident
Missile. This is a critical aspect of the defence of our great nation yet the professional
sailors in the Royal Navy are more than up to the task.

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The key recommendations for the Royal Navy are;

1) Reduce the number of service personnel by 20,000 in line with

decommissioning
2) Reduce the number of civilian personnel by 14,000 within three years
3) Reduce Royal Navy patrols in the North Sea and Scandinavian waters as result
of the reduced activity by Soviet vessels
4) Closure of Rosyth Base Naval Base within one year
5) Maintain the Armilla Patrol
6) Further modernise our technical and missile systems onboard Royal Navy
vessels in particular our Destroyers.
7) Deliver the Vanguard Submarine in the next 2 years and deliver the Vanguard
Class of Submarine within the next 6 years.
8) Procure the Tomahawk Cruise Missile
9) Update our current Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) Sea King Helicopters with
the Augusta Westland EH101
10) Investigate procurement of a more advanced version of Airborne Early Warning
(AEW) Sea King AEW7.
11) Merge Royal Navy HQ with British Army HQ and RAF HQ at Northwood for
improved coordination and reduced maintenance costs.
12) Reduction of the fleet size of the Royal Navy by 10. The following ships shall
be decommissioned
13)

i. HMS Endurance – Arctic Class

ii. HMS Conqueror Submarine – Churchill Class
iii. HMS Courage – Churchill Class of Submarine
iv. The decommissioning of five of the Leander Class frigates to be decided by the
Admiralty

The Nuclear Deterrent

The importance of retaining Britain’s Independent Nuclear deterrent (IND) is impossible

to understate, without it, we would have been dictated to and bullied by the Soviet Union.
The importance of the IND is now realised as other political parties abandon their
opposition to the IND and instead recognise the necessity of it. With such importance
placed on the Nuclear Deterrent it is also necessary that the Polaris Missile Programme is
replaced with Trident. Trident shall ensure we continue to stand tall in the councils of the
world and help maintain “Peace through Strength”. Although the Soviet Regime has
fallen other nations still possess or are a developing nuclear technology, these nations

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present a potential threat to our own security and we must be as strong and resolute with
these nations as we were with the Soviet Union.

We must also recognise that whilst new threats exist it is also not necessary to maintain
large stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Abandoning Britain’s IND would be an exceedingly
debilitating and naïve move but maintaining current levels of nuclear stockpiles is also
dangerous. The Government should continue with its strategy of maintaining the IND but
simultaneously actively trying to reduce these stockpiles diplomatically and in line with
other nations.

One of the most dangerous aspects of the collapse of the Soviet Union is the potential for
one of its large numbers of nuclear weapons to fall into the possession of a rogue force or
nation. We must further our improving relations with Russia and work with them to
ensure this dangerous scenario does not become a reality. It is essential we welcome them
back on to the international stage and work with them in achieving this shared aim

The key recommendations with regard to the IND;

i. Deliver the Trident Nuclear Weapons System

ii. Continue to maintain the Britain’s IND
iii. Pursue diplomatic endeavours in reducing the nuclear stockpiles in the world.
iv. Ensure no nuclear weapons fall into rogue hands during the break up of the
Soviet Union

Training

As part of the creation of a modern force, much greater emphasis shall be placed on the
training of our troops, this will further the existing professionalism and versatility of
them. This vital and necessary training will help consolidate the reputation of our troops
as the best in the world. It is essential that this training is extensive and helps to
familiarise our troops with the new theatres of war they may find themselves fighting in.
Our training has been geared towards, and rightly so, the conditions and climate of
Northern Europe, as this has of course been the most likely theatre of war our troops
would find themselves in. However new theatres now exist and it is essential our troops
can deal with the difficult and unfamiliar climates of the Arabian Desert or rainforests
and jungle like conditions of the Far East.

The Government should also create some rapidly deployable divisions that can be
mobilised and dispatched quickly to anywhere in the world. These forces would be
designed to respond to any crisis that may occur ranging from security of Britain, that of
other nation or people or for humanitarian purposes. These units will also be instrumental
in gaining an initial footing in these situations and be able to diffuse situations before
they are exacerbated and our other troops can get there

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Related to this training shall be the Governments commitment to those affected by the
reductions made in this report. The MOD is pledged to creating a training programme to
help those seeking new employment make that transition from their military career to
whatever career they may decide upon. The programme shall look to provide valuable
skills required by employers that will make this transition much easier. The aim is to
increase computer literacy skills amongst those affected and provide advice for those
seeking employment. The programme shall also be far reaching and dynamic by helping
to adapt the skills acquired during military service to civilian life. Many of the skills our
military personnel have can be converted or modified into the skills that are greatly
needed in both private sector and other public sector work even

The recommendations for training are as follows;

1) Increase the amount of training our troops are given in order to further
their knowledge and understanding of unfamiliar climates
2) Create two rapidly deployable units to give our armed forces the capacity
to respond to any situation immediately.
3) Implement a programme of training and an advice bureau to help those
affected by these reductions to find employment.

International Commitments

Britain has renowned reputation in the councils of Europe and of the World both
diplomatically and militarily, this reputation should be furthered and enhanced. By
continuing to pursue a logical, fair and open foreign policy and by maintaining the
prestige, strength and humility of our armed forces these objectives shall be achieved.

Our Armed Forces should continue play their much needed role in many of the vital
peace keeping missions and humanitarian work of the United Nations. The United
Nations is an exceedingly effective diplomatic instrument and it is also highly respected
as organisation that represents the view of the international community. The Government
should ensure we continue to play the active role that we have done since its creation
after World War Two.

NATO is also one of our major international commitments and is another vitally
important organisation. We should continue to work with our allies and carry out its
important work most notably of course, the role many of our NATO allies played in the
recent Gulf War. With the increasing number of occasions where our troops have to carry
out their operations in harmony with troops from our NATO allies, it is right to improve
cooperation and coordination between nations. The Government should expand the
programme of external training that occurs between our allies.

The key recommendations are;

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 1) Maintain our diplomatic and military roles and prestige in the United
nations
2) Maintain our diplomatic and military roles and prestige in NATO
3) Further the External military training with our NATO

Conclusion

The report has proscribed some radical changes as it hopes to create the modern defence
Britain desperately needs. This report was unambiguous in this aim and believes that the
only way to create such a force is by the implementation of all the recommendations. To
be a modern military power is not right nor is it something that once attained, shall never
be lost. Constant modernisation and revision is needed, the harnessing of new
technologies and tactics is an integral aspect of this and this must be a never ceasing
exercise. This report has sought to reduce military inefficiency and lower military
expenditure whilst maintaining a Defence force that is more than capable of dealing with
the pressures and demands a modern force. The key element that achieves this goal is the
procurement of the modern and needed technology and the greater emphasis placed on
training and the ability to rapidly deploy. All of the recommendations are designed to
ensure that Britain’s Armed Forces become, and remain a technologically advanced,
rapidly deployable, accurate, versatile and professional force. This report makes the idea
of a modern force in the New Scenario a reality.

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