Recommendation 11

The advantage of having fewer systems has also been reinforced. The Department explained that with more systems, it is more complicated to manage the logistics and more difficult to sustain warfighting operations, which reduces the deterrent effect. As a result, the Department’s view was that you might get less value for the money spent. The Department contrasted this with the benefits of working with as many allies as possible to co-design, co-develop, co-produce and co-support equipment, and cited the Boxer armoured fighting vehicle as an example of this. It said that this approach was much more cost-effective compared with allies having different systems.19 The Department expressed this view prior to the SDR and the Committee will monitor any changes in its assessment following its publication.