Army 2020 structures: Royal Military Police and Security Assistance Group

Royal Military Police

Under Army 2020, the Royal Military Police is being reorganized and restructured to a streamlined ORBAT which introduces a 1-star, brigade HQ (1^st Military Police Brigade) controlling 3 military police regiments, a Special Investigation Branch regiment and a Specialist Operations Unit Regiment.

The new structure is obtained by disbanding 5^th Regiment RMP; by bringing back to the UK the 1^st Regiment RMP from Germany; disbanding a number of companies and resubordinating several others to form homogeneous, larger integrated regiments all formed by 2 regular and 1 reserve companies. The Specialist Operations Unit regiment is a new formation to stand up in Longmoor to group together under a unified command a number of specialist formations: the Close Protection Unit that provides VVIP escorts, the Service Police Crime Bureau and the Operational Support Unit.

The official summary of the changes to the RMP, MPS and MPGS under Army 2020 reports:

For the RMP, Army 2020 will result in:

• the creation of the 1^st Military Police Brigade (1 MP Bde) consisting of an optimized 1 star Headquarters, shaped from the existing HQ PM(A) allowing PM(A) to exercise command more effectively;

• three identically structured RMP Regiments (1^st, 3^rd and 4^th Regiments) fully integrated to maximise the utility of the Provost Reserves with fewer, but larger and more capable Regular and Reserve Provost Companies and larger Regimental Headquarters;

• an integrated RMP SIB Regiment with a small RMP SIB Reserve element and with a new deployable capability to meet the requirement of contingency; and

• a new RMP Specialist Operations Unit, which groups existing, but disparate, specialised capabilities (the Service Police Crime Bureau (SPCB), the Close Protection Unit (CPU) and the Operational Support Unit (OSU)), and allows for the appropriate depth of command so that the delivery of scarce and highly skilled niche specialist capabilities, such as Cyber-Crime and covert policing, can be better managed while also interacting in the national policing landscape at home.

For the MPS, Army 2020 means:

• an increased Regular MPS capability to number 191 personnel (up from 106 personnel) together with an enduring Reserve component;

• in future Tier-1 Service Custody Facilities (SCF) in Garrisons will be manned by MPS, along with the Tier-2 The Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC). The aim is to professionalise and optimise Firm Base custody thereby increasing surety; and

• an enlarged MPS better able to meet future contingency capability by drawing across the whole MPS structure to deploy personnel to man Tier-3 Operational Facilities.

The Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS)was not included in the Army 2020 process, much work continues in parallel at HQ PM(A) as a number of Military sites are closed, security levels are reviewed and new bases are opened. Inevitably this will lead to some re-complimenting of MPGS personnel. However the significant contribution made by the MPGS to the Armed Services is recognised and appreciated across Defence and I am certain that this capability will continue to grow.

Changes to the RMP structure have begun and are being implemented, and more visible changes will take place in the coming months as 1^st RMP Regiment HQ moves out of Germany and into Catterick in December.

111 Provost Company, part of 1^st RMP Regiment, has already been disbanded as part of the reductions of the british presence in Germany. 114 Provost Company will also disband, while 110 Provost Company will transfer from Germany to Leuchars during 2015.

Once the transfers and disbandments are completed, 1^st Regiment RMP will have taken command of 150 Provost Company (transferring from 3^rd Regiment RMP during 2015) and of the 243 (Reserve) Provost Company.

The HQ of the Military Police brigade will be based in Andover, and is planned to stand up on 1^st December 2014. The head of the brigade will be the Provost Marshal (Army), and to preserve investigative independence of the police, OPCON will be in the hands of the Chief of General Staff. The brigade will be under the tactical command of Force Troops Command for non-investigative tasks.

The end state of the RMP regiments is as follows:

1^st Regiment RMP (Catterick)

150 Provost Coy (Catterick)

110 Provost Company (last in Germany, will move into Leuchars)

243 Provost Company (Reserve) [includes 2 Platoon in Lisburn]

3^rd Regiment RMP (Bulford)

158 Provost Company (Bulford)

174 Provost Company – Donnington

116 Provost Company (Reserve)

4^th Regiment RMP (Aldershot)

156 Provost Company (Air Assault) (Colchester)  [comes into the regiment 1^st December 2014]

160 Provost Company (Aldershot)

253 Provost Company (Reserve)

156 Provost Company is currently independent as it is the only air assault RMP unit, and is assigned directly to 16 Air Assault Brigade. This independence will formally end on 1^st December this year, when the company resubordinates under 4^th Regiment RMP.

The Provost Companies are working to a renewed three platoons structure, particularly important in the case of 156 Provost Company as it supports the constant generation of one platoon at High Readiness and air assault ready, to be attached to the Air Assault Task Force. Each RMP company has one “operations” platoon supporting the parent brigade, one platoon engaged in policing the assigned area of the UK and the garrison, and one platoon in training. The three platoons rotate across all three roles.

For 156 Provost Company, the operations platoon is a formation of 28 men held at High Readiness in support of the Air Assault Task Force generated by 16 Air Assault Brigade.

The one exception is the Royal Marines Police Troop, which has links to the RMP but remains an integral part of 30 Commando IX. The Troop is 38 strong, and has to generate police capability for the Royal Marines battlegroup at readiness.

The Special Investigation Branch Regiment includes 5 Investigation companies covering the whole of the UK, with Investigation sections distributed all over the territory and into the main garrisons. It is not yet clear if the number of companies will change, but the force will integrate 83, 84 and 85 SIB Sections, made up of reservists.

The brigade also includes the Military Provost Staff Regiment, including the Military Corrective Training Centre (in Colchester) and the regional Service Custody Facilities.  

No change has been announced so far for the Defence College of Policing and Guarding (DCPG) at Southwick Park, which delivers training for the police branches of all three the services. 

Security Assistance Group

The SAG is being formed at Denison Barracks, Hermitage, as a 1-star command bringing coherence to the management of information and media activities and Stabilisation Support Capabilities of the Army. It should indeed have officially formed on 1^st September. The HQ comprises 16 officers, 16 SNCO and 9 other ranks, and controls:

-          Media Operations Group

-          Security and Capability Building Team

-          15 Psychological Operations Group (15 POG)

-          Military Stabilisation Support Group (MSSG)

The MSSG numbers 20 officers and 40 ORs and has been moved into Hermitage. The 15 POG is expected to move into new infrastructure in the barracks during 2016, but the plan for the building and upgrading of the infrastructure for the group hasn’t yet been finalized.

In the future, the Defence Cultural Specialisation Unit (DCSU) and the Security Group Military Intelligence are expected to move into Hermitage as well. The barracks are also planned to house 73 Military Intelligence Company and the Land Intelligance Fusion Centre.

Hermitage, up to this summer, used to be the home base of 42 (Geographic) Engineer Regiment, but this regiment has now completed its move to new infrastructure in the Joint Forces base Wyton. Hermitage for the moment remains the base of the Royal School of Military Survey, but a plan has been prepared to move the school to Wyton as well, and indeed to complete the migration of the whole Defence Geographic Centre to new infrastructure in the Joint Forces base. The move of the school is unlikely to happen before the summer of 2017 in order not to disrupt training, and the DGC transfer will only be completed by around 2018. 

Goodbye TA, welcome Army Reserve

MAJOR UPDATE:

I have corrected and completed the Army 2020 ORBAT published early on these pages, to include the data relating to the Reserves. This is, at the stage, the planned full Army ORBAT, reserve units included.




Analysis, further info and comments to follow.

Among the most interesting changes, the expansion of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps is significant. Two new squadrons will stand up after april 2014:

675 Squadron, centered around Taunton and Yeovilton, will be mainly targeted at supporting the Wildcat helicopter force destined to to airbase.

678 Squadron will stand up with centres in Milton Keynes and Luton.

677 Squadron, already existing, sees its activities consolidated at Bury St Hedmunds.

A bit of a mystery for me is constituted by 679 Squadron, given as already existing and centered at Middle Wallop. I can find no mention of 679 Squadron AAC anywhere: Middle Wallop is the base to the reserve squadron 655 (Scottish Horse), as far as i'm aware, and the British Army website agrees. Of course, the website could well be not updated, but i never heard nothing suggesting a re-badging at Middle Wallop. Either it is planned now (but not properly explained in the documents) as the squadron expands gaining a new foothold in Portsmouth, or the document is wrong, or 655 changed identity very silently and away from the spotlight.

UPDATE: i'm told that the squadron indeed is 655 (Scottish Horse). It is re-badging to 679 Squadron as it expands taking over a TA centre in Portsmouth. The Reserve army air corps regiment will thus have, possibly already by the end of next year:

675 Sqn, in support of the Wildcat helicopter force.
677, 678 and 679 (newly renamed 655) squadrons in support of the Apache force.



The Royal Engineers element of the Reserve will provide the Army's wide gap river crossing capability with the M3 rigs, following the disbandment of 28 Engineer Regiment.
The Wide Gap crossing capability will pass to 75 Engineer Regiment (Reserve), which will have two squadrons (107 and 202) plus an Amphibious Engineer Training Cell.
75 Engineer will be paired to the regular Force Support regiment, 36 Engineer.
71 Engineer regiment (Reserve) will also be in the Force Support pool. It will maintain the squadrons 102 and 124 in the Air Support role, while losing 236 Sqn, withdrawn from the order of battle. In exchange, the regiment takes command of 591 Field Squadron, the only RE squadron left in Northern Ireland.

72 and 73 Engineer regiments will be withdrawn from the ORBAT.

With a decision that, in my opinion, is badly wrong, 299 (Parachute) Squadron Royal Engineer and 131 Independent Commando Squadron RE are both moved into Hybrid regular/reserve regiments.
Instead of trying to better bring together 299 (PARA) Sqn with 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), the Army decided to assign the formation to 21 Engineer Regiment.
Similarly, instead of trying to make the reserve Commando squadron work more closely with the lonely, regular 59 Independent Commando Squadron RE, the Army moves 131 Sqn under 32 Engineer Regiment.

21 and 32 and the two Hybrid regiments assigned to the Adaptable Force pool: they will have two regular and two reserve field squadrons each (103 Sqn and 299 (PARA) Sqn for 21 Regiment ; 106 Sqn and 131 Commando Sqn for 32 Regiment).
At the same time, they will also be composed by two engineer squadrons which are clearly meant to support the High Readiness reaction brigades, 16 Air Assault and 3 Commando. In my opinion, there are too many conflicting loyalties and requirements in this part of the plan.

The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) loses one squadron (108 Field Squadron, withdrawn from the army's ORBAT), but retains the other three and its RHQ, and moves under the 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group, along with 65 Works Group. Reserve elements also make up the other Works Group in the force, which are all hybrid formations.

135 Geographic Squadron ceases to be independent and moves, sensibly, under 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic).  

33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) gains 350 Field Sqn, in addition to the already present 217 Sqn.
101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD) also has two reserve squadrons in its structure: 221 and 579.

12 (Air Support) Engineer Group becomes 12 (Force Support) Engineer Group and takes charge of both 39 and 71 regiments (Air Support oriented) and of 36 and 75 regiments (Land Support oriented). Included is 20 Works Group (Air Support).
The close-support regiments are grounded under a new group, 25 (Close Support) Group, while 29 Group becomes EOD & Search, and takes control of the EOD regiments (11 RLC included) and of the Military Working Dogs Regiment.
2 (101 and 105) out of five squadrons of the Military Working Dogs Regiment move to the Reserve.
170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group retains the Works Groups and gains the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) regiment.  



In the Royal Artillery it must be underlined that the batteries meant to support 16 Air Assault brigade and 3 Commando brigade are both lost: as 100 Regiment RA is moved into suspended animation, the 201 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Parachute Battery is lost, while 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery, which used to support 29 Commando Royal Artillery regiment, will now resubordinate to 104 Regiment RA (Reserve) and re-role into a mini-UAS bty.

Another decision that in my opinion does not seem adequate to the army's needs is the retention of 101 Regiment RA (Reserve) as the GMLRS formation. It made perfect sense when the regular GMLRS component was based close by, at Albemarle Barracks, with 39 Regiment RA. But now that 39 Regiment disbands and the regular rocket batteries move south to Salisbury Plain to join the Reaction Force artillery regiments (19 RA, 26 RA, 1 RHA), it makes little sense to plan to have four reserve GMLRS batteries around Newcastle, Blyth and Leeds.
In addition, 101 Regiment RA is meant to be paired with 3 Royal Horse Artillery, based at Abemarle Barracks. Geographically, it makes sense. Operationally, it is a bit hard to see what real benefit can come from pairing a GMLRS reserve formation to a regular Light Gun regiment!

106 Regiment RA, in the air defence role, will have three batteries. 265 (Home Counties) Battery will employ the lightweight, triple-launcher Starstreak missile launcher, while 295 (Hampshire Yeomanry) Battery [new battery to replace 210 (Staffordshire) Battery, which moves into 103 Regiment and re-roles to Light Gun] and 457 (Hampshire Yeomanry) Battery will employ the self-propelled, Stormer-mounted Starstreak variant.
This allows the regiment to mirror the structure of the regular vSHORAD regiment, 12 RA, which has 12 Bty armed with the Lightweight LML (12 Bty's main role is provide air defence for high readiness reaction forces, particularly from 16 Air Assault brigade) launcher and two batteries on Stormer.

Despite reports in 2009 / 2010 that the Stormer HVM would be retired, the system is still going strong and it is one of the most interesting bits of kit around. Following the modernisation, it has built-in training simulation features, a new Thermal Imaging sight and the capability to employ the LMM missile together with / in replacement of the normal Starstreak.
The multi-role LMM missile, if brought into Army service (for now it is only on order for the Royal Navy as an anti-FIAC weapon for the Wildcat helicopter), would make the Stormer HVM a powerful multi-role platform capable to strike ground targets at long range. The new Thermal Sight also makes it useful for reconnaissance and surveillance roles.
12 Regiment has two batteries of 12 vehicles each (in two troops of 6), and 106 Regiment should have the same structure, even if it'll normally work with just an handful of vehicles for training purposes.

Not directly related to the Reserves, but important, is the news that 7 Royal Horse Artillery, the artillery regiment supporting 16 Air Assault Brigade, is restructuring on just 3 batteries, down from 5.
Manpower levels and guns will be retained: this suggests that the HQ and TacGroup batteries will be merged, and the guns will be given to two larger batteries instead of three smaller ones. This reflects the reduction of the brigade to just two regular PARA battalions.



The Royal Armoured Corps is re-badging a regiment, transferring the RHQ of the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry to Edinburgh and renaming it to The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry.
The "new" regiment will be paired to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
The Queen's Own Yeomanry and The Royal Yeomanry are the other two light cavalry formations. 

The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is confirmed as the Armoured Resilience Regiment. It is restructuring on HQ plus three Sabre squadrons, to reflect the new Type 56 structure used by the regular tank regiments. The Reserve formation is expected to provide Challenger 2 crews on 90 days and a formed Sqn on 180 days.



Original Article:

Philip Hammond is still replying to questions in the House of Commons regarding the White Paper for the armed forces reserves restructuring. The White Paper itself, along with supporting documents, is available on the MOD website.

Information on the "hundreds" of changes to units and sub-units within the newly renamed ARMY RESERVE is still very lacking to say the least (what a surprise), but the following changes are already official:

Changes to Army Reserve:

Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry HQ moves to Edinburgh, takes command of yeomanry units in Scotland and Northern Ireland, becomes Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry.
Existing RMLY squadrons stay where they are, get re-subordinated to the english light cavalry regiments.

The following units will be withdrawn from the ORBAT, with their sub-units will either be withdrawn, re-roled or re-subordinated to another unit in the Army Reserve’s Order of Battle

100 Royal Artillery
72 Royal Engineer
73 Royal Engineer
38 Royal Signal
88 Postal and Courier
160 Transport
165 Port
166 Supply
168 Pioneer

The following units re-role / change:

152 Transport regiment becomes, as expected, 152 Fuel Support Regiment
155 Transport regiment re-roled, re-badges and becomes the new 165 Port and Enabling Regiment
156 Transport regiment becomes 156 Supply Regiment

The REME get:

101 Bn
104 Bn
105 Bn
106 Bn

Intelligence Corps get two new battalions:

6 Bn
7 Bn


The above information is contained in the ministerial Written Statement.

There is still a lot of holes in the coverage of this huge reform programme: even the House of Commons is revolting against the lack of information, as the documents related to the brief and undetailed oral statement have not arrived or have been distributed only very late in the debate.


New or re-opened Reserve sites: 

Site summary: New or re-opened Reserve Sites:

Site	Location	RFCA	Force
ARMY
Kinnegar Bks	Belfast	N Ireland	Army
Batley TAC	Bradford	Yorks & Humbs	Army
Bristol	Bristol	Wessex	Army
Redford Cav Bks	Edinburgh	Lowlands	Army
St George's Bks	N Luffenham	East Midlands	Army
LWC	Warminster	Wessex	Army
Rochester Row TAC	Westminster	London	Army
Carver Bks	Wimbish	East Anglia	Army
Yeovil TAC	Yeovil	Wessex	Army
NAVY
Cardiff	Cardiff	Wales	Navy
Edinburgh	Edinburgh	Lowlands	Navy
RAF
RAF Woodvale	Formby	North West	RAF
RAF Cranwell	Sleaford	East Midlands	RAF
Total:	13

Reserve sites to be vacated:


Site Summary: Surplus Sites

Site	Location	RFCA	Force
ARMY
Armagh TAC	Armagh	N Ireland	Army
Ashington TAC	Ashington	North East	Army
St John's Hill TAC	Battersea	London	Army
Berwick-upon-Tweed TAC	Berwick-upon-Tweed	North East	Army
Eden Armoury TAC	Bishop Auckland	North East	Army
Belleview Bks	Bradford	Yorks & Humbs	Army
Coltman House TAC	Burton-upon-Trent	West Midlands	Army
Caernarfon TAC	Caernarfon	Wales	Army
Clapham TAC	Clapham	London	Army
Myrtle St TAC	Crewe	North West	Army
Bothwell House TAC	Dunfermline	Highlands	Army
Dunoon TAC	Dunoon	Highlands	Army
McDonald Rd TAC	Edinburgh	Lowlands	Army
Stanney Lane TAC	Ellesmere Port	North West	Army
Carmunnock Rd TAC	Glasgow	Lowlands	Army
Newport TAC	Isle of Wight	South East	Army
Keighley TAC	Keighley	Yorks & Humbs	Army
Keith TAC	Keith	Highlands	Army
Kidderminster TAC	Kidderminster	West Midlands	Army
Kirkcaldy TAC	Kirkcaldy	Highlands	Army
Townsend Ave TAC	Liverpool	North West	Army
Argyll Road TAC	Llandudno	Wales	Army
Ardwick Green TAC	Manchester	North West	Army
Stockton Road TAC	Middlesbrough	North East	Army
Northallerton TAC	Northallerton	Yorks & Humbs	Army
Redhill TAC	Redhill	South East	Army
London Rd TAC	Romford	London	Army
Seabrooke House TAC	Rugby	West Midlands	Army
New Broad Street TAC	Stratford upon Avon	West Midlands	Army
Swaffham TAC	Swaffham	East Anglia	Army
Walsall TAC	Walsall	West Midlands	Army
Washington TAC	Washington	North East	Army
Wick TAC	Wick	Highlands	Army
Ubique Bks	Widnes	North West	Army
Duncombe Bks	York	Yorks & Humbs	Army
NAVY
DORSET HOUSE	Bristol	Wessex	Navy
RMR HENLEY	Henley-on-Thames	South East	Navy
HMS SHERWOOD	Nottingham	East Midlands	Navy
Total:	38

More updates to follow as information is released.


UPDATES

Among the changes and re-roling, there are impressive changes:

307 Battery, 100 Royal Artillery regiment will be absorbed by 4 (East of England) Company, 4th MERCIAN infantry battalion.

D Coy, 3 Princess's of Wales Royal Regiment will have an even more impressive change of heart, as it will make way for a new reserve Army Air Corps squadron, 679 Sqn, part of 6 Regiment AAC.



SABRE.co.uk has a series of useful infographics showing what the White Paper is about.




UPDATE:

Thanks a million to Benjamin of Wight for finding and linking the document containing the whole restructuring plan.
This same document (possibly along with others?) is expected to become available tomorrow on parliament.uk. 

DOCUMENT detailing the changes 

A wider selection of documents is available, with an useful graphic on roles and position of the Reserve elements in the Army structure, pairings included.  

News of the Forces

Type 45 to replace the Type 22 COMINT capability

A reason why HMS Cumberland proved so precious outside Libya was the fact that Type 22 were fitted with extensive COMmunications INTelligence kit and had great Signal Intelligence capability. It is understood that there were strong calls for keeping at least two of the Type 22s in service longer due also and particularly to this fact. At one point, a further delay in HMS Cumberland’s decommissioning appeared likely. However, financial reasons won, as with the Nimrod R1, and after a period of service, both platforms were retired.

A replacement, luckily, appears to be on the way. Think Defence spotted a very interesting bit of news, which he timely reported: the UK is procuring SSEE increment F as a Cryptologic Electronic Warfare Support Measure (CESM) replacement program for the Cooperative Outboard Logistics Update (COBLU) fitted on Type 22 Frigates, to use it as the future maritime CESM system fitted on the Type 45 Destroyers. It is expected the UK will be able to fully absorb and utilize the Communications Intelligence (COMINT) system and capability. The systems are being acquired via Foreign Military Sale process from the US.

The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has requested the sale of seven Ship’s Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) Increment F, seven Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules (SAASM) GPS Receivers, and seven System Signal and Direction Finding Stimulator packages, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment up to 2018, support equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, logistics, and technical support services, testing, publications and technical documentation, Fleet Information Operation Center upgrades, installation, life cycle support, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $90 million, and the seventh system is likely to be destined to training ashore. The prime contractor will be Argon ST in Fairfax, Virginia.

The system comes under a joint US/UK project called COBLU or Cooperative Outboard Logistics Update which was to replace the existing AN/SSQ-108 based OUTBOARD system. A welcome bit of cooperation that, as with the Rivet Joint that will replace Nimrod R1, will bring greater capability and obvious benefits to the forces.

FRES Scout prototype progress

Reading the news, I found the General Dynamics announcement that the first test version of the reconnaissance variant, Scout, has begun to take shape with the successful joining of the Experimental Demonstration Unit (EDU) turret to a “mule” base platform at the first attempt. The first successful combining of turret and base unit last week further proves the vehicle design, the systems integration between the two sections and the team work between prime contractor General Dynamics UK and turret design authority Lockheed Martin UK.

The FRES SV Scout prototype is taking shape

The “Mule” base unit, known as PT3, is based on a mature ASCOD vehicle already in service with the Austrian Army. (This means that we are talking of a Ulan chassis, with the Spanish variant of ASCOD being known as Pizarro) The 1.7 metre race ring, specifically designed by General Dynamics UK for FRES Scout and for the possible integration of different turrets in future FRES variants, was integrated onto the vehicle by General Dynamics European Land Systems at its Simmering facility in Austria. The vehicle was then transported to General Dynamics UK’s Pershore facility in Worcestershire, UK, to undergo a series of tests and prepare it to accept the EDU turret. It was then transferred to Lockheed Martin UK’s facility in Ampthill, Bedfordshire last week for the integration of the turret.

In parallel, the first EDU turret was being built at Rheinmetall Landsysteme in Gersthofen, Germany. Rheinmetall Landsysteme designs, develops and manufactures the Scout SV Turret Structure for turret design authority Lockheed Martin UK. Following a successful first build of the turret, the mandated CT40 Cased Telescoped Cannon System was integrated into it and fired for the first time in May, five months ahead of schedule. It was also subsequently transported to Ampthill where it has been undergoing extensive testing and preparation for integration with the PT3 mule base unit. The EDU is a 2-men manned Rheinmetall Lance turret. The Lance turret, in its unmanned variant, equips the Puma IFV of the German army. More than once I’ve expressed my doubts about ASCOD/FRES SV being “british to its bootstraps” as GD claims, so I won’t return on the question, by so far we have a Spanish/Austrian hull, german engine, german transmission, anglo-french gun, german turret and American turret drive system. Judge by yourself.

Anyway, this progress is still a good news that I welcome, and I look forwards to seeing further progress, to finally understand just what will the Scout be capable to do. The Scout does not appear to be any shorter than a normal ASCOD in IFV variant (notoriously, the BAE CV90 rival bidder had built a prototype with a CV90 IFV hull shortened and with one roadwheel less than the baseline vehicle), which begs the question of what will be done with the large space in the back of the vehicle. Will FRES Scout carry infantry for dismounted recce role?

I’ve also read suggestions that the hideously expensive (500 million pounds for 7 prototypes!) contract for FRES SV development might actually include funding for armor research and development. I have absolutely no evidence backing this claim up, but I can only say that I hope this is how things are. 500 millions for 7 prototypes REALLY is foolish otherwise.

HMS Queen Elizabeth starts to take serious shape

The enormous LB03 hull block has been revealed to the public yesterday. At 66ft (20m) high and 207ft (63m) long, the section was slowly moved out of a hall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Govan, Glasgow to be loaded onto one of the two biggest seagoing barges in the world on Sunday. The move, overseen by a team of 10, took just over one hour, as 64 remote controlled transporters carefully moved the 8000 tons carrier section 200 metres across the specially reinforced tarmac.  

The huge LB03 shows well the huge overture of the hangar lift in the flank, and it also gives a clear view of the width of the hangar, which will have a very high roof (one whole deck taller) once the top modules are fitted. A Galley deck will stand between the hangar and the flight deck. 

The next 16 August the block will start a 600 miles travel around the north of Scotland to reach Rosyth, where it will meet the LB01 block (the bow of the ship) which is already there. The carrier will be assembled in the No2 Dock at Rosyth. Marking the occasion, over 50 cyclists will leave the Govan yard on the same day to take on a gruelling 500 mile cycle around the north of Scotland in an attempt to ‘beat the block’ to its final destination and raise money for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

Approximately 350 Govan-based employees will follow the block to Rosyth where they will work in partnership with employees at Babcock to complete the assembly phase of this section of the ship. Meanwhile, at Govan, construction of Lower Block 04, the largest and most complex section of hull, is progressing and production on the second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, started last May. 

Video from BBC here. 

A long way has been walked since 2009 when the first steel cutting, but a lot of road remains to cover. 
A great article of The Sun includes photos of one of the crew cabins showing the furniture and also provides an interesting image of a weapon depot, with some of the rails of the semi-automated ammunition moving system visible on the floor. 

Are the Americans copying PECOC…?

The new Personal Clothing System and Pelvic Protection Kit developed as part of PECOC are just entering service (they will be fully operational for the next Herrick deployment next October, more detail in the Army page of this blog), but work progresses to improve the Load Carrying system that will replace the current one, and work also continues to improve the Osprey armor and the MK7 helmet. Some time ago now, the PECOC team released images of a new helmet prototype, which caused quite some debate online, and quite a lot of criticism. The image, which probably many of you will remember since it was just august last year, was this: 

Now, look at this Revision Eyewear prototype of helmet that the US Army has just financed: 

Surprise! 

Revision has been contracted in a development work that will continue in the next 3 years with a 1.990.340 USD budget for drawing up the next-generation head protection system of the US Army. The new system is intended to provide impact protection improvements over current helmets, and come with integrated electronics and power. It will also be modular, allowing soldiers to tailor their protection level to the needs of the moment.

“The current situation is that head-borne protection and functional capabilities have not been designed as an integrated platform using Soldier-centric design principles. This has prevented the optimization of weight, balance and sub-component integration” noted Don Lee, Project Engineer, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. He went on to say, “This development contract supporting the Helmet Electronics and Display System – Upgradeable Army Technology Objective is expected to develop integrated headgear system technologies to include upgraded ballistic and impact protection, integrated CBRN mask, full face protection, and integrated heads-up display and sensor inputs for actionable information to Soldiers and Marines. We anticipate the final outcome will be tools and technologies that will allow the U.S. Army and USMC to field well-balanced, optimized headgear systems that will provide improved head protection, allow for increased situational awareness, and increased mission performance allowing our Soldiers and Marines to be the decisive edge on the battlefield.”

The new helmet design will integrate or be compatible with a trauma liner, communication system, heads-up display, CBRN mask and enhanced night vision goggles. The fully integrated and fully modular system will also feature a visor and mandible guard option designed to provide better blunt force, blast and ballistic protection than a helmet shell alone.

Less is known about the UK helmet, which is, as the images show, shockingly similar. For sure, it incorporated a mandible guard and an active ear-protection system capable to attenuate automatically loud noises such as explosions to protect hearing while enabling the passage of voice messages. It also had a mounted torch and a not better identified device for improving night vision (perhaps an IR torch…?).

The criticism had mostly been caused by the mouth guard, and I did not really know how to judge such a kit piece… but now, the Americans seem to be walking down the same route, and it reassures me. If it was so bad an idea, surely they wouldn’t even think about it, wouldn’t they…? To be fair, it is worth noting that, at least at the moment, it appears that the mouth guard would be one of the optional extras for top-cover sentries and for soldiers serving in other particularly exposed areas/roles.