Britain and Defence Transformation: A Model of Success or a Warning of its Dangers?

1 This article is based on a paper originally given at the 2006 International Studies Association conference. The author would like to thank the British Academy for providing an Overseas Conference Grant to support this paper. The analysis, opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the JSCSC, the UK MOD or any other government agency.

2 See Tim Benbow, The Magic Bullet? Understanding the Revolution in Military Affairs (London: Brassey’s 2004).

3 Robert K. Massie, Dreadnought, Britain, Germany and the Coming of the Great War (New York: Ballantine 1991); Nicholas A. Lambert, Sir John Fisher’s Naval Revolution (Columbia: Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1999).

4 ‘NATO assumes command in eastern Afghanistan’, BBC Online, 5 Oct. 2006.

5 See John Kampfner, Blair’s Wars (London: Simon & Schuster 2003).

6 Gustav Lindstrom, The Headline Goal (Brussels: Institute for Security Studies, EU 2004).

7 ‘EU backs elite battle group plan’, BBC Online, 17 May 2004, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3722655.stm⟩.

8 Tom King, House of Commons Parliamentary Debates, Statement 25 July 1990, vol.177, sixth series, session 1989–90, cols. 468–86; Christopher Bellamy, ‘Soldier of Fortune: Britain’s New Military Role’, International Affairs 68/3 (July 1992) pp.443–56.

9 Frontline First: the Defence Costs Study (London: HMSO 1994).

10 ‘Military medical services “critical”’, BBC Online, 5 Nov. 1999, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/505902.stm⟩.

11 Colin McInnes, ‘Labour’s Strategic Defence Review’, International Affairs 74/4 (Oct. 1998) pp.823–45.

12 The Future Strategic Context for Defence (London: Ministry of Defence 2000), ⟨www.mod.uk/issues/strategic_context/index.htm⟩.

13 The Strategic Defence Review: A New Chapter, Cm. 5566 (London: The Stationery Office 2002).

14 The Strategic Defence Review: A New Chapter – Public Discussion Paper (London: MOD 2002) p.7.

15 Strategic Trends (London: MOD 2003), ⟨www.mod.uk/jdcc/trends.htm⟩; Delivering Security in a Changing World: Defence White Paper, Cm. 6041 (London: The Stationery Office 2003); Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities, Cm. 6269 (London: The Stationery Office 2004).

16 Michael Smith and Neil Tweedie, ‘Cuts reduce RAF to The Few’, Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2004, p.1; Michael Evans, ‘20,000 jobs are wiped out in defence cutbacks’, The Times, 22 July 2004, p.1.

17 Delivering Security in a Changing World: Defence White Paper, Cm. 6041‐I (London: The Stationery Office 2003) p.1.

18 See Andrew Dorman, ‘Crises and Reviews in British Defence Policy’, in Stuart Croft et al. Britain and Defence 1945–2000: A Policy Reappraisal (Harlow, Essex: Longman 2001) p.11.

19 Delivering Security in a Changing World: Supporting Essays, Cm. 6041‐II (London: The Stationery Office, 2003) p.15.

20 The Global Conflict Prevention Pool: A joint UK Government approach to reducing conflict (London: FCO 2003).

21 Tony Blair, ‘Doctrine of the International Community’, Speech made in Chicago, USA, 22 April 1999.

22 Geoff Hoon, House of Commons Defence Committee, Third Report: A New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review’, HC.93‐I, session 2002–3 (London: The Stationery Office 2003) para. 18.

23 ‘UK considers paras’ role’, BBC Online, 9 May 2000, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/741821.stm⟩.

24 Andrew Gordon, Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command (London: John Murray 1996) p.569; Paul Cornish, ‘Transformed Warfare: Who’s in Charge?’ World Defence Systems 7/2 (2004) pp.24–7.

25 House of Commons Defence Committee, Defence White Paper 2003, Third Report of Session 2003–4, HC. 465‐I (London: The Stationery Office 2004) p.7.

26 Operations in Iraq: First Reflections (London: MOD 2003), ⟨www.mod.uk⟩ p.24.

27 See Andrew M. Dorman, ‘Reorganising the Infantry: Drivers of Change and What this Tells Us about the State of the Defence Debate Today’, British Journal of Politics and International Relations 8/2 (2006) pp.489–502.

28 ‘Petersberg Declaration’, WEU Ministerial Council, Bonn, 19 June 1993, Europe Document 1,787, 13 June 1992.

29 ‘EU defence force outlined’, BBC Online, 6 Dec. 1999, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/552720.stm⟩.

30 This was made clear in Blair’s first definitive foreign policy speech as Prime Minister in November 1997. See Kampfner, Blair’s Wars (note 5) pp.16–17.

31 Lindstrom, The Headline Goal (note 6).

32 Lt. Gen. Mike Jackson, ‘Kosovo: The Inside Story’, RUSI Journal 145/1 (Feb. 2000) p.15.

33 ‘Blair promises “more for troops”,’ BBC Online, 7 Oct. 2006, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5414974.stm⟩.

34 ‘Prague Summit Declaration’, issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Prague on 21 Nov. 2002, ⟨www.nato.int/docu/pr/2002/p02‐127e.htm⟩.

35 Geoff Hoon, House of Commons Defence Committee, Defence White Paper 2003, Third Report of Session 2003–04, HC.465‐II (London: The Stationery Office 2004), Minutes of Evidence 31 March 2004.

36 See Matthew R.H. Uttley, Contractors on Deployed Military Operations: United Kingdom Policy and Doctrine, Strategic Studies Institute Paper (Carlisle, PA: US Army War College 2005), ⟨www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/publication‐search‐results.cfm?criteria=uttley⟩.

37 Paul Beaver, House of Commons Defence Committee, Defence White Paper 2003, Third Report of Session 2003–4, HC.465‐II, 2004, Minutes of Evidence 4 June 2004, ev.30.

38 House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, Ministry of Defence: Operation Telic– United Kingdom Military Operations in Iraq, Thirty‐ninth Report for Session 2003–4, HC.273 (London: The Stationery Office 2003) p.4.

39 The Strategic Defence Review: A New Chapter – Supporting Information & Analysis, Cm. 5566 (London: The Stationery Office 2002) p.8; Operations in Iraq: First Reflections (London: MOD 2003), ⟨www.mod.uk⟩, p.22; for an indicative list see National Audit Office, Operation TELIC – United Kingdom Military Operations in Iraq, HC. 60, session 2003–4 (London: The Stationery Office 2003) p.10.

40 National Audit Office, Operation TELIC (note 39) p.14.

41 The United Kingdom Defence Programme: The Way Forward, Cmnd. 8288 (London: HMSO 1981).

42 Air Vice‐Marshal R.A. Mason, Air Power: A Centennial Appraisal (London: Brassey’s 1994) p.160; see also Col. Gary L. Crowder, ‘Effects Based Operations Briefing’, News Transcript, US Dept. of Defense, 19 March 2003, ⟨www.iwar.org.uk/rma/resources/ebo/effects‐based‐operations‐briefing.htm⟩.

43 ‘Blair promises “more for troops”’, BBC Online, 7 Oct. 2006, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5414974.stm⟩.

44 A.J.P. Taylor, The Struggle for Mastery in Europe (Oxford: OUP 1954) pp.528–9.

45 Dorman, ‘Reorganising the Infantry’ (note 27).

46 Delivering Security in a Changing World (note 15) pp.12–13.

47 Geoff Hoon, House of Commons Parliamentary Debates, Statement to the House ‘Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities’, 21 July 2004, session 2003–4, col.348; ‘RAF gets a lift from C‐17 Deal’, Ministry of Defence, 4 Aug. 2006, ⟨www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyandBusiness/RoyalAirForceGetsALiftFromC17D eal.htm⟩.

48 Strategic Defence Review, Cm.3999 (London: The Stationery Office 1998) p.24.

49 Delivering Security in a Changing World: Supporting Essays (note 19) p.7; Geoff Hoon, House of Commons Parliamentary Debates, Statement on the ‘Reorganisation of the Infantry’, 16 Dec. 2004, session 2004–5, cols.1795–1800.

50 ‘Factsheet: Emergency in Lebanon, MOD Homepage, 20 July 2006, ⟨www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/FactsheetEmergencyInLebanon.htm⟩.

51 Operations in Iraq (note 39) p.7.

52 Statement on the Defence Estimates Part 1: The Defence Review, Cmnd. 2901‐I (London: HMSO 1966) p.7.

53 Defence White Paper, Fifth Report of the House of Commons Defence Committee session 2003–4, HC. 465‐I, 2004, p.39.

54 National Audit Office, Operation TELIC (note 39) p.21.

55 Smith and Tweedie (note 16); Evans (note 16).

56 ‘Labour defeated in regiments vote’, BBC Online, 16 Dec. 2004, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4103071.stm⟩; ‘Protest over merger of regiments’, BBC Online, 18 Dec. 2004, ⟨http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4106465.stm⟩; Pippa Crerar, ‘Army shake‐up: You back stabbing coward’, Daily Record, 17 Dec. 2004, p.1; Hoon (note 49); Magnus Linklater, ‘Black Day for the Black Watch’, The Times, 8 Oct. 2004, p.16; Simon McGee and William Green, ‘Region’s Battalion’s spared in Hoon’s Army Shake‐up’, Yorkshire Post, 17 Dec. 2004; Steve Purcell, ‘Black Watch to Merge: New Role for Paras’, Daily Mirror, 17 Dec. 2004.