Recommendation 62

Strategic Command is a joint force Command, working across defence and with the three Front Line Commands to integrate capabilities across all domains. Commander, Strategic Command told us that he would regard the different parts of his organisations as some of the jewels in the crown of defence’s capability: Permanent Joint Headquarters 117 The new aircraft are compatible with the boom-receptacle in-flight refuelling system used by the US Air Force amongst others. The A400M is also capable of boom-receptacle in-flight refuelling but the use of UK A400Ms for such a purpose has been ruled out by the MOD. 118 Human Security Centre (AFR0004) 119 Q46 120 Letter from the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the Committee, Ministry of Defence, 10 July 2023 121 Q37; Q42; Q46 122 Defence Committee, Tenth Report of Session 2022–23, Aviation Procurement: Winging it?, HC 178 123 Oral evidence taken on 4 July 2023, HC (2022–23) 1689, Q93 124 Q241; Q243 Ready for War? 27 (PJHQ) which “effectively co-ordinat[es] defence-wide operations”; Defence Intelligence; Special Forces; the National Cyber Force; Defence Digital (“looking at both defensive cyber operations but also providing the digital capability and digital transformation for all of defence”); Defence Medical Services; the Chief of Defence Logistics and Support; responsibility for the UK’s overseas bases and the Defence Attaché network; defence thinking and education (including the development of concepts and doctrine); and an innovation hub.125