Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Paragraph: 96
We share the concerns of our witnesses and our predecessors.
Conclusion
We share the concerns of our witnesses and our predecessors. It appears that, as part of the Integrated Review, there is a risk that the Army’s current armoured capabilities (albeit in need of modernisation) are at risk of being denuded on the basis of promises of technically advanced ‘jam tomorrow’. Experience has shown that these technologies have a long gestation period and may not be realised within useful timescales (for example the ‘electric armour’ concepts proposed in the late 1990s). It would be unacceptable for the Army to give up its heavy armoured forces only to be faced with a repeat of the FRES fiasco, followed by the need to urgently procure a new batch of vehicles to meet a sudden crisis. The Department should not place its faith in a ‘big bang’ type development of its armoured capabilities, but rather should focus on the incremental development and experimentation approach aligned with our NATO allies.
Paragraph Reference:
96
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Our current AFV fleet remains broadly fit for purpose against the most likely threats but must be modernised to ensure they can deal with future threats. The current modernisation programme is delivering a competitive advantage, intending to create a fleet of highly advanced, digitised platforms able to deal with future challenges, but one that will adapt to emerging threats through iterative enhancements and upgrades. While previously frustrated by a number of challenges, including the immaturity of some technology, there is now far greater confidence in the Army modernisation programme and that it is based on technology that is sufficiently mature. In the future, focussed investment in Research and Development, alongside our allies, will ensure that technology is only considered for inclusion when it is sufficiently mature. This is a key aspect of the Land Industrial Strategy that seeks to iteratively upgrade our capabilities so that they can adapt to emerging threats and exploit advances in technology when it is appropriate to do so.