Defence ministers say the Government remains on schedule to meet the Strategic Defence Review commitment to produce a UK roadmap for deeper interoperability with NATO allies by January 2026, but the written answers provide limited visibility into how much has actually been done inside the department.
Responding to questions from James Cartlidge, Al Carns stressed that the Review sets a clear direction: UK defence is “NATO First” and the Armed Forces must be able to operate as part of a NATO force “by design”.
He confirmed that NATO itself will publish an Interoperability Plan for the Alliance before the end of the year, and noted that a UK interoperability champion has been appointed within the Military Strategic Headquarters to drive implementation.
On the domestic roadmap, Carns said it is being developed “with and in support of our Integrated Force Design”. That ties the work directly to the wider restructuring of the Armed Forces rather than treating interoperability as an isolated strand of policy.
When asked how many meetings the MOD has held on the roadmap since June, the department said officials “meet regularly” but that the information is “not held in the format requested”. The overall message is that the UK sees the Alliance plan as the anchor, with its own roadmap being shaped around it.
What have I missed here? Whenever have we NOT been NATO first and embedded very deeply in NATO planning?
Nothing mate, just waffle from a politician. But I’m curious what the question from Cartlidge, rigged of course, could have been?
Producing a plan for the roadmap. Those Powerpoint keyboards must need a sustainment program.
Another day, another MOD report. I’m glad we’re going to have a “roadmap” for NATO. We can use it to send our three tanks , our six artilleru pieces and our dodgy Ajax somewhere…
Been NATO first for decades.
“Restructuring” just another way of saying cuts, the forces are restructured and rebranded constantly.
“Integrated force design.” Like StratCom? Like JFC? Like PJHQ, which existed back in 1995? All tri service integration.
DMS is integrated.
DSF is integrated.
JFIG is integrated.
JCF is integrated.
DD is integrated.
JCEMAG is integrated.
DI is integrated.
JSSO is integrated.
DHO is integrated.
JSCSC and wider DA is integrated.
I can go on? Do detail these integration plans.
No detail, just the usual generalisation.
Hi M8, As they say the Devil is in the detail, I just can’t help pointing out the obvious follow up question !
“How can you deliver a roadmap without having delivered the future funding to provide whatever you are integrating ie When is the DIP being delivered ?”
As Tom Cruise said “Show me the Money” !
That has been the same with every SDR. Long on words, short on detail ( the last one especially ) and no confirmed money to do it.
As you know, I do not trust this government on defence any more than I can toss them, it is all words.
As you say mate, we’ve been integrated for decades, unless there has been a weakening of the level of integration as Europe over spent the peace dividend..? The threat receded just as NATO expanded so perhaps the level of integration with the ‘new’ members was not what it would have been had the threat persisted?
As for the latest reorganisation:- chairs, deck, sink, Titanic, rearranging…
Then there is the ‘interoperability champion’. Three questions;
1) What rank are they, two star, one star, SO1, SO2..? Or to put it another way, ‘do they have the authority to match their responsibility?
2) Why do our forces that are supposedly integrated with NATO anyway even need an integration champion in the first place? Surely they should all be striving to improve their integration and interoperability as a routine part of their jobs? Combined and Joint?
3) If we aren’t properly integrated with NATO is there a NATO level issue as well? If so, really just how effective is NATO, especially eNATO?
Hopefully you are right and it is just more political blah blah. If the current threat in Europe is throwing issues, and I note NATO is producing a Road Map as well, then may be we should be a little more concerned than we already are?
What the West needs is some real leadership and I don’t see it coming from anyone supposedly in a leadership role at the moment, both here or anywhere else in NATO.
Cheers CR
So making a road map to what we need to do, sounds like every thing else from MOD, waffle. lots of words to cover not much. As normal. Not sure I trust a word the MOD says any mote its all talk no action, meeting, focus groups, industry open days, ideas, projects but nothing else just stalling for time while ordering nothing much.
The out going deluded CDS raving on about incressing this and that with out dioing any thing, not sure having the words most fancy project names and service contracts scares Russia much.
2 years RA untis have had no SPG’s,14 Archers does not count they are gap filler whilst never filling the gap. MLRS as far as i know has less than 8 up grades Launchers, no drone defence, no long rang Air Defence. So all going to plan then. Wish full thinking and meeting will defend the nation then.
If this us getting ready for war god help us,