I (mainly) agree with Bob Crowe of the RMT on SAR Privatisation

In one of my recent posts on Help Save Our Forests I included the following Paragraph:

The slow and almost covert sale of National assets to Private and indeed
often foreign ownership by successive Governments has been going on for
far too long. But this is not just a privatisation too far, but a
disgraceful act and needs to be stopped.

Well another planned privatisation has been causing me extreme irritation, but not quite enough to blog on (after all I am an Idle Man) has been the plan to transfer the Helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) currently run by the RAF, Royal Navy and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to a Private Consortium. The fact that the currently the whole process has been thrown into disarray by irregularities in the bidding process by the preferred contractor Soteria, only delays the Governments Plan, which started under the Labour Government in 2006.

The current SAR Helicopter Fleet does require replacement, and therefore new aircraft should be procured, but not by selling off the service to a Private contractor. I therefore in the unexpected position of almost totally agreeing with, Bob Crowe the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, when he was quoted as having said:

'This whole sordid and botched episode shows that the raw greed of the
private sector should never be allowed anywhere near life or death
rescue services on the high seas. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money
has been wasted and the whole plan should now be scrapped, not
shelved.’

The only things I would change in the above statement is to remove the words 'raw greed of the' and the words 'on the high seas'. So my plaglarised version of Bob Crowe's Statement would be:

'This whole sordid and botched episode shows that the private sector should never be allowed anywhere near life or death rescue services. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money
has been wasted and the whole plan should now be scrapped, not
shelved.’

The Search and Rescue Service should NEVER have been put out to contract and now the process has been halted, it should be abandoned and money made available over the next three years to replace the current fleet of SAR Sea Kings with S-92 heavy lift helicopters. Also plans should include increasing the number of Helicopters and SAR bases, not the gradual reduction seen over the last decade.

Britain's Future Threats

Following my previous post: Defence of Britain, I read Thomas Harding's article: Strategic Defence and Security Review: four future scenarios and how they might play out in the Telegraph, which mentioned and in turn led me to read the Ministry of Defence Document: The Future Character of Conflict. Neither the Article, nor the Document make comfortable reading.

In the Article Harding look at 4 Possible Scenarios all an increasing number of years away: Iran 2016, 2018 Pakistan, Uganda 2023 and Baltic States 2023. To each of these he gives an opinion as to probability and Britain's readiness to deal with the situation. I do not doubt he has given considerable thought before selecting these possibilities as the ones to be published and he obviously has access to sources unavailable to me, but for the first two Iran and Pakistan, I feel the timeline may be shorter than he proposes.

The MoD Report is actually a much more sober and in many ways sombre text, less about scenarios but types of threat and why they might occur. This is understandable as this is an official document. In summary the report details:
Global trends that indicate increasing instability and growing opportunity for confrontation and conflict.
State failure, extremists, increased competition for resources and the changing global balance of power will dictate why, where and how conflict occurs.
The study concludes that the character of conflict will continue to evolve. Though it is impossible to accurately predict the exact character of the future conflict, in many future operations the armed forces are likely to face a range of simultaneous threats and adversaries in an anarchic and extended operating area.

I am not qualified to comment on the analysis and conclusions of the MOD Report, but as a result of reading it, I do feel that the chances of Britain's Armed Services being involved (whether HMG, or the Public wish it) in further conflicts within the next few years is inevitable. In addition attacks, whether by hacking penetration or direct action against the infrastructure of Computer Network Operations (CNO), or as I think of it Cyber War, will be an increasing factor in conflicts. Now that is a sobering and sombre thought.

Defence of Britain

In recent times I have not specifically covered Defence as regards policy, or politics, in the hope that Richard North would cover these areas in his Defence of the Realm Blog but as Richard is strangely quiet in that Blog (although he does touch on defence in the EU Referendum blog), I thought I would at least bring the following two articles in the Telegraph to your attention:
Strategic Defence and Security Review: Britain faces impossible choices in an uncertain world 13th Sep 2010
The Strategic Defence and Security Review is being conducted against a backdrop of bitter arguments between the Services and the threat of cuts of up to 20 per cent, yet it is meant to define Britain’s place in the world and our foreign policy and defence priorities for decades to come, says Professor Michael Clarke.

What is effectively a follow up article: General Sir Richard Dannatt on the Strategic Defence and Security Review: Britain is at stake 14th Sep 2010
The Strategic Defence and Security Review puts the Services under the
spotlight. Planners now have the job of predicting what future enemies we
might face; yet 10 years ago, no one foresaw the demands of Afghanistan, says General Sir Richard Dannatt.

Both articles are thought provoking and I recommend they are read in date order. Some will not agree with the conclusions, or perhaps even the tone of these articles, but both are written by those who's knowledge and experience means they are qualified to cover the subject, unlike so many of today's commentators: Professor Michael Clarke is Director of the Royal United Services Institute and General Sir Richard Dannatt was Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to
2009.

Zeroes and Heroes

Two aircraft landed in Southern Britain the other day at two different Airports :

The first carried a group of over paid, under achievers who complained they were tired and missed their families after two weeks in five star accommodation.

The other carried the coffins of 7 fallen soldiers who had spent months away from loved ones living in tents in a war zone, giving their lives for their country. Who are the Hero's ??, I know where my priorities lie. R.I.P lads.

Remember these soldiers earn 15k to 30k a year not a day. If you believe that the England team should donate their wages to Help the Hero's then please cut and paste and forward it on

Just in case they need help in donating here is a link to:

Devaluing the Award of British Medals.

Britain has a tradition of awarding medals for displays of exceptional Courage, in the Armed Services (In the Army, one regiment will submit a request for an award, but another for exactly the same act will not, considering it within expected behaviour of members of that Regiment), the Police and Civilian Population. Getting an award in the Security Services, SIS (aka MI 6), or MI 5, is shall we say 'difficult', for serving officers 'extremely difficult'.

In the Armed Services there are also Campaign Medals for those who served in War Zones, although HMG has on some occasions tried to avoid awarding these for political reasons (e.g. the long campaign to recognise Suez Veterans), or diplomatic reasons (we were never there, honest). Even worse HMG (on the advice of the MoD) is refusing to give a medal to those wounded in action in Afghanistan, or elsewhere.

In my long professional career I have visited Countries and Cities in Countries which HM Foreign Office at the time considered unsafe. In some cases so unsafe that I and my Colleagues received protection. I viewed these visits as the risky part of my job at the time, not something to be given some award for although I did usually get paid something extra for being there and then only if staying for more than a couple of days!

Now as part of their job, Politicians and now Civil Servants are required to visit War Zones, or Countries/Cities Deemed High Risk. It comes with the territory, don't want to do it refuse, or change careers!
I have no problem with a plus payment for doing it, starting say, for stays longer than a week, but regardless of how many flying visits, no!

Yet Politicians who have neither served with the Armed Services, Police, Security Services and whose only likelihood of exceptional bravery in their professional life would to be to face Jeremy Paxman at the top of his form are being awarded Medals. Oh yes and what have they done to be so recognised?

Well they have to be members of a Club, sorry I mean Scheme, called the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme (AFPS), and this scheme allows politicians to spend around 22 days a year with the Forces. So visits to Aldershot, an RN Ship, or RAF Base in Scotland all count. - Of course some do visit a War Zone where they were constantly surrounded by real British Soldiers and have had their Pictures taken, been interviewed and have then gone home. Fortunately the Queen does not have to present these Badges, because they are technically unofficial. So should they be called Medals, no, they are just a Badge showing long term (10 Years) club, sorry scheme membership.

So why are these called Medals, when they are only a Badge, because they are awarded to Politicians (vomiting at this point is permitted). At least if you are British Citizen you can indicate your anger at this by signing an E-Petition to the Prime Minister: Stop degrading our soldiers by handing out medals to MPs.

Well I have received Certificates for belonging to something for a long while, but quite honestly these go in the scrap book and even the Badges I have been given for membership of an Organisation, would only be worn (if I remembered), on occasions when it is likely to encounter other members.

Having dealt with Politicians, let us look at the Civil Service. In particular the MoD where Civil Servants are traditionally niggardly when recommending Medals for real Heroes and Service in Campaigns. Well guess what now they are actually expected to spend time in a War Zone they are getting a Campaign Medal, no, not a Badge, a real Campaign Medal as worn by Real Soldiers, Royal Marines and the RAF Personnel (providing they spend as certain amount of time there and this varies between 21 and 30 Days not the six month tours of real Soldiers and other Service Personnel). So are these people on the front line? No don't be silly, they work mainly inside Camp Bastion surrounded by Real Servicemen and Women and when they venture out they are very well protected. Also they get Bonus payments and salaries which make the real Heroes amongst the most underpaid in our society.

So they are, Civilians in a War Zone where it is just possible they might get Killed (None has), or Wounded (no medal for being wounded remember - MoD didn't go for it), well the Naafi Manager does that as do the other Civilians, are they going to be awarded a Campaign Medal? Again don't be silly and they don't expect it, yet in other wars Naafi Staff have taken the fight to enemy (Falklands) and from memory they didn't get a medal, neither do Chinese Civilian Laundrymen who serve on Royal Navy Ships and have died alongside the British Crew in wars large and small. So what is special about Civil Servants that means they deserve a medal! NOTHING!

The awards to MPs and Civil Servants devalues the British Medal Award System which is moving the way of the former USSR, where you got a medal for just staying Alive for a very long time in the Soviet Paradise, contributing to the Population Explosion, or being a Sycophant to the right people, among many other possibilities.

Links:
E-Petiion to the Prime Minister: Stop degrading our soldiers by handing out medals to MPs.

MPs criticised for accepting 'Mickey Mouse' medals

Anger as penpushers at MoD get same Afghan medal as troops risking their lives on front line

To finish a picture of Real Soldiers, just to remind us of those who deserve much more than we give them and who are entitled to Wear their Medals with Pride:

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight endangered

Support the BBMF with your vote

Photograph and Copyright Caz Caswell - Used with Permission

It has been suggested that the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) which celebrates the sacrifice of those who flew during the 2nd World War, will be part of the next round of defence cuts. This will be a travesty if it goes ahead.

The BBMF costs a mere £3m a year, less than 0.1% of the defence budget. It is a great delight for all who see their displays, and the memory of 'The Few' will be lost.
If a British Citizen (either UK Resident, Expatriate, or Crown Dependency), please vote in the E-Petition to the Prime Minister to ensure that the BBMF is not closed.

I am sorry to say that the many supporters of the BBMF who are not British Citizens cannot add their votes, but it doesn't stop you emailing HMG!

The British Legion Manifesto & Petition

In what could be a five, or even six month lead up to the next United Kingdom General Election, the parties will be preparing their Manifestoes to explain what they will do if they win.

As the teams of backroom specialists, spin doctors and election hierarchy from each party work on these documents, there is a window in which non-political groups can galvanise opinion in an attempt to ensure cross party support for their agenda and therefore inclusion in the Political Party Manifestoes.

The British Legion has launched It's time to do your bit campaign, with their own six page General Election Manifesto in PDF format. Having read it (several times), I have come to the conclusion that it is the only General Election Manifesto where I totally agree with the agenda!

The British Legion has also launched a Public Petition to show support for the British Legion Manifesto and a form which sends an email to all potential candidates for election to MP in your Constituency requesting they support the British Legion Manifesto.

For current MPs who read this blog (yes there are one, or two), or are a candidate then the British Legion has thoughtfully provided a means of showing your support: Election Candidates- How to do your bit


It's time to do your bit campaign

Avro Vulcan XH558 50th Birthday Appeal

2010 marks the 50th Birthday of Avro Vulcan XH558 - Built in 1960 and today the last of her kind flying anywhere in the World. Keeping such a large, complex unique Aircraft flying safely costs a lot of money and as this is a British Conservation Project funds are always on a knife edge. At this time of year with no revenue from Display Appearances and Annual Maintenance a priority, just paying the Engineers who are the key to the project is a  is a major concern, but other bills also rise during the winter, so any donation however small is welcome:

As a reminder of the awesome Vulcan see these videos:

British Sons and Daughters

I received this as a chain email and unusually for me, immediately passed it on to many of my contacts. However by posting it here I hope to distribute it even more widely and quickly - The Idle Man:

If you read this, you WILL forward it on.You just won't be able to stop yourself.

Here's to the heroes: Especially for all of the young ones we have recently lost.

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, just old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either.





He's a recent Comprehensive School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but hecan field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. And He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.

He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.

If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.

He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.

He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humour in it all.

He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.



He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, all the while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.

In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the BRITISH Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.




He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.

As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. ...

A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.



Prayer wheel for our military... please don't break it Please send this on, after a short prayer.

Prayer Wheel

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'

There is nothing attached...
This can be very powerful...
Of all the gifts you could give a British Soldier, Sailor, or Airman, prayer is the very best one.

I wouldn’t dream of breaking this one,Please pass it on to everyone

Save Our Vulcan

Save Our Vulcan Donate By Clicking this Link

The last flying Vulcan Needs Help - Please Sign the Petition (British Citizens Only - Sorry)

Those of you who have seen the Avro Vulcan flying will know that it is an awesome sight. Now there is only one flying example, XH558 and this is endanger of being grounded forever.

The Vulcan is a living symbol of the Cold War Era when along with the Victor and initally the Valiant formed the Aircraft Types equipping the RAF Medium Bomber Force and the four minute warning, meant something other than alerting you to your next appointment, or to check the dinner in the oven.

However even in those dangerous times the Vulcan Squadrons could indulge in at a least a wry smile,
Like the successful Attack on New York which so frightened the Pentagon:
Extract from a Guardian Article :
n 1961, four nuclear bombers entered United States airspace, flying high above the maximum altitude of the defending American fighters. Three jammed the ground-based and airborne radars directed at them. The fourth arrived unchallenged and unforeseen, over New York City.

The aircraft was an Avro Vulcan bomber, capable of carrying a 21,000lb nuclear payload. It looked like a scary version of Concorde. The New York stunt was part of an Anglo-American military exercise which proved the plane's ability to deliver nuclear bombs wherever they might be needed, whoever the enemy. The RAF called it "the tin triangle".
End Extract
Come to think of it the RAF Vulcan Crews did play some serious tricks on the USAF as in Red Flag 1977 or 1978 where they used the Girlfriends and Wife's Picnic (with lots of Cars) at a specific geographical location as an offset aiming point to get them on target (tsk, tsk). Getting even snottier on one departure by doing a spectacular full bore ultra short take-off at max weight (thus wrong footing all the TV and Still Cameras), whilst an RAF Type was telling the press with feigned surprise 'that was how they always did it'!

Even when not armed and dangerous, the Vulcan was used to 'show the flag' across the world from Australia, through the Far East . USA and Canada. A single Vulcan doing even a simple display, was as exciting as the Red Arrows.

In 1982 when the timetable for phasing out was set, the Vulcan went to war for the only time in its long career when single Aircraft, each supported by Victor Tankers flew the Black Buck Raids over the Falklands.

Whilst The Government supports the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight through the RAF , the entire Vulcan project has so far only been supported by private donations and volunteers. Whilst we are in a global financial crisis, Government support to keep XH558, is flying is not even going to show on Government Spending statistics.

So please sign the 10 Downing Street Petition: to keep Vulcan.XH558

Honouring the past and inspiring the future.

Links:

• The Vulcan Operating Company and Vulcan to the Sky Trust Site

• THE Vulcan Site to visit is: Vulcans in Camera

Vulcan Videos:
There are a lot of recent video's of XH558 since its return to flight, but the following are often overlooked:

• Anti-Radiation Flash White (The Death Ride Era): The Avro Vulcan - If this had been for real, the surviving Aircraft and their Crews would have had no Airfields to return to!
• Vulcan and Blue Steel (With Test Launch and Vickers Valiant shots)
• What might have been: Vulcan Skybolt Testing
• The Year after operational retirement Avro Vulcan airshow display Commentator/Interviewer the late Raymond Baxter
• AVRO VULCAN XH558 DISPLAY SCAMPTON '91
• Flying the Vulcan

Nimrod exposes contempt for Armed Forces

Not my Headline (I wish it was), but from a Daily Telegraph Article by Con Coughlin.
Not only is it an interesting Article in its own right, but the comments from readers struck me as both pertinent and interesting. To give you a sample the following is that last paragraph of Con Couglin's Article:
Quote:
Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, seemingly so underemployed at the Ministry of Defence that he also finds time to be Scottish Secretary, has admitted that two thirds of the Nimrods are “not fit for purpose”, but has done little to rectify the situation. He should hang his head in shame.
Unquote
In another time perhaps the last sentence would have read: He should Hang.

Now one of the Comments from a reader - It is long, but worth reading:
Quote:
The MOD have always possessed an accountant driven mentality instead of an operational requirement ethos towards military kit.

I was in the services when the Nimrod started to replace the Shackleton, back in the late 60’s, and the general consensus then, was that it was an extensively modified cobbled up Comet, with Spey engines. That it is still in service today as further modified variants are wheeled out, is a remarkable achievement in cost cutting, but not much else.

After the MR2 exploded over Kandahar, with the cause known to be related to in flight refuelling operations, remarkably a second incident took place on 5th November 2007 to a second MR2, (XV235), also over Afghanistan, while the investigation into the loss of XV230 was ongoing. This incident also occurred during in-flight refuelling when the crew called a Mayday after observing leaking fuel. They managed to land the aircraft. It was only after the second incident, that in flight refuelling was suspended for this type, and it was only due to providence that a second aircraft was not lost.

The board of Inquiry into XV235 deduced that the most probable cause, was escaped fuel contacting an air pipe at 400 degrees Celcius, after penetrating between two layers of insulation. Contributory factors were listed as:Age of the aircraft; Maintenance policy; Failure of hazard analysis and lack of a fire detection and suppression system; and, not identifying the full implications of successive changes to the fuel system and associated procedures.

Back in 1992 a program for replacement for the MR2 was started, the Nimrod MRA4
(New engines in refurbished airframes) was selected in 1996. This was delayed because the airframes supplied to BAe systems were non standard. ‘In service’ date had slipped from 2003 to 2009, and by 2005 the cost jumped from £2.8 billion to £3.5 billion, meaning the RAF would get fewer planes.

Sadly, the Nimrod is not alone in the tragedy of errors

The Hercules shot down over Baghdad was operating without self sealing fuel tanks in a war zone. Another cost saving?

link

I think the British owe their aircrews better than this.

The MOD and successive governments, have treated the military as nothing more than a cost cutting exercises for decades. This government in particular goes down in history with a part-time defence secretary, to emphasize the low priority which Labour assigns to the military. With soldiers still being sent out in ‘snatch’ Land Rovers, it is little wonder that the RAF is flying antique junk.

Posted as a comment to the Telegraph Article by Michael Barningham on May 23, 2008 10:13 PM
Unquote

Delaying the Nimrod Replacement - Tragic and Symbolic

A replacement for, or at least a complete ground up rebuild of the RAF Nimrod Fleet has been on the agenda for so long that I think it dates back to the late 1990's. But HMG have always tried to move it to the 'back burner', whilst at the same time trying to find means of justifying the delay as both reasonable, prudent and as an after thought operationally acceptable.

Back in 2004 they were looking for another delay and decided to spend some money on commissioning a report from BAE to confirm sorry that should be see, if it was safe to delay replacement, despite the subsequent report warning that: There had been 880 fires or "smoke-related incidents" on Nimrods in the past 22 years and that hot air pipes in the bomb bay were too close to the key elements of the fuel system. If a fire broke out in the bomb bay, there was no way of extinguishing it.

The report urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to fit a fire suppression system in the bomb bay, but the warning was ignored.

A further report, this time by QinetiQ in 2006:
Blamed the Nimrod’s age and the "intense" way in which the aircraft were flown for what it described as a "critical" structural problem. The warning was ignored was again ignored.

Failure to proceed with the replacement programme in 2004 following the BAE Report was unacceptable, failure to act following the QinentiQ Report is criminally culpable.

But despite the clarity of the warnings the Government continued with its policy of delaying the programme until 2010.

Meanwhile the Nimrod Fleet which was only 21 Aircraft with only around 11 serviceable at any given time was being tasked at War Levels of operations. Like the rest of the British Armed Services, Nimrod and her crews were being stretched at a level of Operations the Government required, but the same Government was not willing to correctly finance.

A Nimrod Crash in November 2004 was caused by the same faults identified in two separate reports that were ignored. The Death of the 14 Crew of Nimrod XV230 in September 2007 was as a direct result of those reports being ignored as it was caused by the faults identified in these reports. Criminal Negligence on the part of the MOD, RAF and Government?

Today and every day Nimrod Crews take an Aircraft based on the Comet Airliner of the 1950's and which was actually built in the 1960's on missions over land that is a War Zone, or over the unforgiving Sea.

The very fact they continue to do this makes them heroes and brings shame on those Politicians who didn't do what was absolutely necessary in 2004 and absolutely vital in 2006, but still sit in Government.
The MOD and at least some Senior RAF Officer are also culpable and I suggest in certain cases Criminal Trial and Court Marshals maybe appropriate.

The Crash of Nimrod XV230 is both tragic and Symbolic of this Governments entire attitude to the Armed Services (and indeed the Emergency Services) . In that they will perform miracles on the minimum, whilst we spend money on what will keep us in power.

Unfortunately whilst this Government has been spectacularly inept in keeping its attitude to Defence concealed, history consistently teaches us when HMG commits the Armed Forces to fight it always states these forces are correctly equipped and all their requirements have been and will continue to be fully met.
Just as consistently our Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen have paid for these lies with their lives.

At least in previous times we could have expected those responsible to at the very least resign, not just from their post, but from public life. Now they not only keep their job, or get another, but rarely even apologise!