Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
The Department has not demonstrated the necessary urgency to deliver enhanced capabilities to deter hostile...
Recommendation
The Department has not demonstrated the necessary urgency to deliver enhanced capabilities to deter hostile parties. The Ukraine conflict has demonstrated the renewed importance of land capabilities. However, the Department acknowledges there is significant risk that the UK could not provide NATO with an operational Army division and that the current Equipment Plan does not resolve this. Lessons from Ukraine show that the Army needs to increase its long-range precision artillery, air defences and medical supply chain beyond the capabilities included in the current Plan. Furthermore, the Department is struggling to deliver existing projects to modernise current land capabilities. Notably, timetables for introducing Boxer and Ajax armoured vehicles have slipped significantly, leaving the Army reliant on out- dated vehicles and unable to provide the necessary deterrence of adversaries. Even when Ajax is finally introduced it will not operate to its full potential without the Morpheus communications system, which is also delayed. We are unconvinced by the Department’s assertion that it is doing all it can to speed up these programmes or its claim that it could only be quicker by taking more risks. Recommendation 3: The Department should reconsider whether it strikes the right balance between risk and delivery speed in procurement and write to us alongside its Treasury Minute response setting out its scope to deliver programmes faster. It should also set out in next year’s Equipment Plan how it will ensure that the Army fully benefits from the investment in new equipment by the timely delivery of military hardware and the technology needed to enable interoperability.
Government Response Summary
The government states that the experience of procuring equipment for Ukraine has shown what can be achieved with increased risk appetite, and will write to the Committee with more detail on the department’s approach, including the scope to increase the pace of delivery to the front line. They will also provide an update on the implications for the Army’s forward equipment programme.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. delivery. The experience of procuring equipment for Ukraine has shown what can be achieved with increased risk appetite and when pace is prioritised. There may be scope to take more risk to get capability into the hands of the user more quickly; however, this will not be appropriate in every case and needs to be carefully considered and the additional risk carefully managed. The department will write to the Committee with more detail on the department’s approach, including the scope to increase the pace of delivery to the front line. The department will provide the committee with an update on the implications for Army’s forward equipment programme.