Last days of the Defence Industrial Scam?

I see two rather interesting names on the Conservative's new Public Services Productivity Advisory Board;  Bernard Gray and Peter Levene.

How is this significant?

Gray's recent report recognised what poor value for money our defence procurement system is.  Levene, some years back, came as close as anyone has in decades to prescribing the right medicine.

Could this mean that those who argue that the primary purpose of the defence budget is to equip our armed forces with the best kit in the world are now winning the argument against the protectionists.

Is the writing on the wall for the Defence Industrial Strategy?

Posted on 7 December 2009 by Douglas Carswell

Comments

Its certainly interesting, I think there is a growing consensus that the frankly piss poor performance of DE&S (if you want to weep, have a read of the NAO Major Projects Reports for the last half decade) has to improve.

I think what has really focussed minds is the success of the Urgent Operational Requirements process used to get equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan. This has shown what can be achieved by buying off the shelf, streamlining processes and generally focusing on immediate need rather than long term coherence.

UOR is not without its problems though, if you look at the boring, non glamorous and non headline grabbing issues of training, maintenance, spares and logistics then the UOR process can more or less store up problems for a later date.

I know I sound like a stuck record but there are really no simple answers to this issue, as the Conservatives will find out if and when they get into office.

Posted on 7 December 2009 19:02 by Think Defence

You mean "prescribing the right medicine", surely??
"proscribing" means to banish or prohibit.
I read your excellent blogs every day. Best wishes, David D

Posted on 7 December 2009 22:28 by David Duckworth

@ DC
"Could this mean that those who argue that the primary purpose of the defence budget is to equip our armed forces with the best kit in the world are now winning the argument against the protectionists."

As often eloquently pointed out on EUReferendum the major fly in the ointment on the Tory side is Liam Fox who does not seem to know his arse from his elbow when it comes to defence matters.

Posted on 8 December 2009 00:45 by Jabba the Cat

Is the writing on the wall for the "Defence Industrial Strategy?"

It might be, but who is going to read it?

Posted on 8 December 2009 08:14 by Mick Anderson

Some very careful probity checks may be in order before sounding quite so enthusiastic about some of the people named above. Apparently.

Posted on 8 December 2009 10:08 by BrianSJ

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