British Military Current Events

[jollyjacktar]

I wonder how many extras this will be worth?    Loved the video  ;D

The pirouetting Palace guardsman: Soldier captured on video showing off his dance moves to delighted tourists (but top brass aren't so impressed)
Grenadier Guard filmed busting moves while guarding Buckingham Palace
Military sources have said the soldier can expect disciplinary action


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2741306/The-pirouetting-Palace-guardsman-Soldier-captured-video-showing-dance-moves-delighted-tourists-brass-aren-t-impressed.html#ixzz3CGEkiFFp

 

[CougarKing]

New toys for the MoD. A natural evolution of their Warrior IFVs?

BBC

Nato summit: £3.5bn armoured vehicle deal to be signed

The Ministry of Defence is set to sign a £3.5bn deal for nearly 600 new armoured vehicles ahead of the Nato summit in Wales.

The MoD will sign the order for 589 Scout Specialist Vehicles at General Dynamics in Caerphilly county.

David Cameron said the deal would aid UK security and "underpin" many jobs.

At the two-day summit in Newport, due to start on Thursday, the UK will call for increased defence spending by some of Nato's 28 member states.

Mr Cameron said the Scout deal would be the Army's largest single order for armoured vehicles for more than 30 years.

(...EDITED)

 

[daftandbarmy]

New toys for the MoD. A natural evolution of their Warrior IFVs?

BBC

Looks more like an Armd Recce asset, no?

I assume they'll replace the Scimitar http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/23241.aspx

 

[Kirkhill]

http://www.generaldynamics.uk.com/scoutsv/

Info from GD UK on the Scout version of the ASCOD.

And from Army Technology.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/scout-specialist-vehicle/

It appears to have a 3 man crew and be optimised for Recce with no provision for troops in back.  The troops are supposed to be carried in a vehicle that has yet to be ordered, an infantry carrier variant for 8 troops with a crew of 2.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Private school cadet forces 'facing closure' in funding shift

Private school headmasters warn that Combined Cadet Force units are facing closure because of changes to the funding system that will see pupils charged £150 to join
 
School cadet forces - seen as vital preparation for the Armed Forces - could be at risk because of funding changes. Photo: GETTY

New rules that would see pupils forced to pay £150 a year to join could spell the end of large numbers of Combined Cadet Force (CCF) units in independent schools, it was claimed.


One private school head told the Times Educational Supplement how the reforms – to be phased in from next year – would result in the cost of running his unit soaring from £60,000 to £100,000.


At present, 260 schools run cadet forces and receive more than £26 million a year to cover staff training, uniforms, rifles, facilities and volunteer expenses. Around 200 units are in private schools, often being seen as vital preparation for a career in the Armed Forces.


But the government has pledged to introduce 100 new cadet units in state schools by the end of 2015.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/11077341/Private-school-cadet-forces-facing-closure-in-funding-shift.html

 

[CougarKing]

An RN Fleet arrives in Gibraltar for EX Cougar 14:

British fleet arrives in Gibraltar for Cougar 14

ROYAL NAVY Flagship, HMS Bulwark, RFA Wave Knight and RFA Lyme Bay arrive in Gibraltar today for the annual four-month deployment exercise, known as Cougar 14.

The cougar deployment is a series of demanding naval and amphibious exercises undertaken over four months all throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East, instructed by the UK government.

HMS Bulwark can accommodate two Chinook or Merlin helicopters on her flight deck. She has a crew of 350 men, a quarter of which are four Assault Squadron Royal Marines and 225 Royal Marines, all in dedicated accommodation for long periods of time. She also carries another 500 for short periods of time.
She has been loaded with 50 vehicles including Land Rovers, trucks, logistic machines and armoured amphibious all-terrain Vikings.

The commanding officer of HMS Bulwark, Captain Dean Bassett, said, “Cougar 14 is a strategically important deployment for HMS Bulwark and marks the culmination of a huge amount of hard work by my ship’s company over the past few months to ensure we are able to support Cougar 14 and be ready for contingent operations.”

He added, “the deployment not only demonstrates to our partners and allies just how flexible and versatile maritime forces can be - it also physically embodies how the Royal Navy protects the nation’s interests overseas.”

The operation establishes the capabilities of the Response Force Task Group, validating their ability to assign a highly efficient UK maritime force anywhere in the world.

Source: Euro Weekly News

 

[Kirkhill]

http://www.generaldynamics.uk.com/scoutsv/

Info from GD UK on the Scout version of the ASCOD.

And from Army Technology.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/scout-specialist-vehicle/

It appears to have a 3 man crew and be optimised for Recce with no provision for troops in back.  The troops are supposed to be carried in a vehicle that has yet to be ordered, an infantry carrier variant for 8 troops with a crew of 2.

Disregard all previous.  :-[

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140903/DEFREG01/309030020/General-Dynamics-UK-Wins-Scout-SV-Deal-From-Britain

LONDON — Twenty four hours ahead of the NATO summit opening in Newport, Wales, the British government has emphasized its committment to modernize its military capabilities by announcing a £3.5 billion (US $5.8 billion) deal with General Dynamics UK to supply armored fighting vehicles.

The UK arm of General Dynamics, which is based just outside Newport, has secured a deal to supply 589 Scout Specialist Vehicles in six variants starting 2017 and finishing 2024.

The company has, though, dropped plans to have the vehicles’ final assembly and testing take place in the UK and has moved the manufacturing effort to General Dynamics’ operation in Seville, Spain, officials here said. GDUK’s original manufacturing strategy involved Spain fabricating the hull during the full-rate production phase with the British government-owned Defence Support Group (DSG) undertaking assembly and testing.

Announcing the deal, the MoD said the contract would secure more than 1,300 jobs locally.

At one point, General Dynamics said the program would support more than 10,000 jobs in the UK.

One executive said that a reduction in numbers of vehicles to be purchased had changed the economics of a DSG deal.

A spokeswoman for General Dynamics UK said the tie-up with DSG had only ever been an option.

DSG is in the throes of being sold to the private sector. The sale is reaching its final stages with Babcock, DynCorp International and KBR being amongst the bidders.

Introduction of the medium-weight vehicles is a key part of the British Army’s transformation plan, known as Army 2020.

General Dynamics beat BAE Systems to the Scout Specialist Vehicles program in 2010 and secured a £500 million deal to design and develop the family of vehicles based on its ASCOD platform already in service with Spain and Austria.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in a statement issued Sept. 3 said that the deal was the “biggest single order placed by the MoD for armoured vehicles for around 30 years.”

The armored vehicle deal could be the first of several deals announced in the near future, officials said.

For the first time the MoD has detailed the types and numbers of vehicles the British Army is set to receive from General Dynamics.

About half of the fleet will be based on the Scout SV platform variants carrying a 40mm case-telescoped cannon mounted in a turret being delivered by Lockheed Martin UK. The vehicles will deliver the following roles:

■ Reconnaissance and strike — the principal vehicle for armored cavalry and close reconnaissance troops and platoons; 198 vehicles.

■ Joint fire control — a Scout reconnaissance variant, containing specialist equipment for use by artillery forward observers; 23 vehicles.

■ Ground-based surveillance — a Scout reconnaissance variant, equipped with a man-portable radar system; 24 vehicles.

The remainder of the fleet will be based on the Protected Mobility Reconnaissance Support (PMRS) platform variants, providing the following types of capability:

■ Armoured personnel carrier — a troop-carrying variant which can carry two crew members and four passengers; 59 vehicles.

■■ Engineer reconnaissance — fitted with specialist engineer equipment, including a route-marking system; 51 vehicles.

■ Formation reconnaissance overwatch; 34 vehicles.

■ Command and control; 112 vehicles.

The vehicles will be supported by repair and recovery capability variants including 38 recovery vehicles and 50 repair vehicles.

“The Scout family is a transformantional program that will refresh our armored capability and ensure the Army remains a first-tier maneuver force,” said Sir Peter Wall, the Chief of the General Staff. ■

Email: achuter@defensenews.com.

 

[daftandbarmy]

A former RAF member:

ISIS Video Shows Execution of David Cawthorne Haines, British Aid Worker

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria released a video Saturday of the third beheading of a foreign hostage, a British aid worker. The execution was a clear message to Britain, a vital ally of the United States as it builds an international coalition to target the militant group, which has made stunning advances across Syria and northern Iraq in recent months.

The video shows the aid worker, David Cawthorne Haines, kneeling on a bare hill under the open sky, in a landscape that appears identical to where two American journalists were killed by the group in back-to-back-executions in the past month. In the moments before his death, the 44-year-old Mr. Haines is forced to read a script, in which he blames his country’s leaders for his killing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/world/middleeast/islamic-state-says-it-has-executed-david-cawthorne-haines-british-aid-worker.html?emc=edit_th_20140914&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=18033910&_r=0

 

[CougarKing]

Now here's something you don't see everyday:

Pirouetting palace guardsman faces three weeks in grim military prison: British soldier's superiors left 'livid' by dance stunt

A Grenadier Guardsman who broke strict rules by dancing on parade outside Buckingham Palace is potentially facing a 21-day prison sentence and a £1,000 fine.

But this guardsman’s senior officers were livid when they saw the footage. His conduct is contrary to everything being a guardsman is about.

The guardsman faces hours of marching practice and physical fitness tests at a military prison in Colchester, Essex. He also faces losing his wages for the period of his sentence – about £1,000.

A source said: ‘There’s no charge in the disciplinary manuals for silly walks and dancing on parade because nobody in living memory has had the cheek to do it.


Read more: Daily Mail

 

[Colin Parkinson]

One day he will be the Sergent major, you got admit he had some stones because I suspect he dam well knew what was going to happen to him.

 

[Remius]

One day he will be the Sergent major, you got admit he had some stones because I suspect he dam well knew what was going to happen to him.

Or perhaps he'll never do pubLic duties again.  Which may be what he wanted.

Corrected for spelling  ;D

 

[tango22a]

Crantor:

You're missing an "l", or possibly after his visit to the Glasshouse he REALLY may not be able to perform "pubic" duties again!!


Cheers,

tango22a

 

[daftandbarmy]

Or perhaps he'll never do pubLic duties again.  Which may be what he wanted.

Corrected for spelling  ;D

A Guardsman that won't do public duties is about as much use as an ash tray on a bike. They'll fire his ass out of the Army.

 

[Old EO Tech]

Disregard all previous.  :-[

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140903/DEFREG01/309030020/General-Dynamics-UK-Wins-Scout-SV-Deal-From-Britain

Well at least the Brits procure Recovery and Repair variants with a new platform....unlike us with the LAV6 :-/

 

[daftandbarmy]

SECRETS FROM THE GRAVE REVEAL PROVISIONAL IRA DID NOT MURDER LORD MOUNTBATTEN


History says on that the 27th August 1979 the provisional IRA ‘carried out’ two attacks, both North and South of the border, which would be etched into the history books as the day that left 18 British Army personnel dead and the Queen’s cousin assassinated. Lord Mountbatten was the grandson of Queen Victoria, one time commander of the Allied Forces in First Sea Lord, retired Admiral of the Fleet, and the last Viceroy of India and Earl of Burma.

Despite warnings from the Garda and British Intelligence Agencies that his life was potentially in danger, Mountbatten was defiant in wanting to continue enjoying his annual holiday in Mullaghmore which was a well-known holiday destination for IRA volunteers, many of whom ‘may have’ noted Lord Mountbatten’s daily patterns whilst holidaying in the village.



On that fateful day Lord Mountbatten, who frequented the picturesque village of Mullaghmore in County Sligo, was out fishing with his family and a local boat boy when a bomb placed under the boat exploded. Provisional IRA man Thomas McMahon had, it is said, placed the bomb on the boat undetected the previous night and it was to have devastating consequences.


Mountbatten was killed instantly in the explosion, which also killed his grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, local bat boy Paul Maxwell and Baroness Brabourne died the next day from her injuries. The daring assassination of a member of the Royal Family was a triumph for the Provisional IRA, generating huge international media coverage. The Provisional IRA, admitting responsibility for the attack, released a statement; “This operation is one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country.”


http://www.onlinepublishingcompany.info/content/sitenewsreadmore/infobox/news/template/default/active_id/385

 

[daftandbarmy]

David Cameron recalls Parliament over Isil air strikes


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11119409/David-Cameron-recalls-Parliament-over-Isil-air-strikes.html

 

[Privateer]

Soon to be followed by the Canadian headline:  "Stephen Harper prorogues Parliament over MP's questions on military response to ISIL"

 

[CougarKing]

The UK orders 20 torpedo-launched Tomahawks alongside a larger batch ordered for the US Navy:

Naval Today

US and UK Order Tomahawk Missiles from Raytheon

(...SNIPPED)

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $251,1 million firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 231 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round missiles for the U.S. Navy(147 vertical launch systems and 64 capsule launch systems) and the United Kingdom (20 torpedo tube launch systems).

(...SNIPPED)

 

[CougarKing]

And the motion to strike Iraq passes in the UK House of Commons, as reported by the BBC:

Wheels up for Tornados from RAF Akrotiri in an hour?

Vote result:

Posted at17:15
The government wins the vote by 524 to 43 - a majority of 481, the Speaker announces.

Posted at 17:21:
MPs voted by a majority of 481 in favour of government plans to join air strikes against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, following a six-hour debate in an emergency recall of Parliament.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I wonder how long their enthusiasm will last when the opposition manages to scrounge up some of these:

http://www.janes.com/article/29817/iran-rolls-out-another-medium-range-sam