Armored: 1 billion pounds for nothing

(BRUSSELS2) The latest report from the British Court of Auditors to Parliament is straightforward. Since 1998, the Department of Defense has spent “ £1,1 billion (1,5 billion euros) in various armored vehicle projects, with no results underline the authors of the report. Of which £321m was lost in canceled or suspended projects.

A loss of capacity that weighed on operations

It is partly because of this waste, this inability to provide armored vehicles, that the ministry had to resort to the emergency procedure and release £2,8 billion to meet the needs generated by the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and purchase mine-resistant vehicles. Another consequence is the greater use of helicopters to carry out reconnaissance or transport missions that vehicles cannot do.

Indecision, too high ambitions, lack of priorities 

Severe cuts over the past six years amount to £10,8 billion, with armored vehicles having suffered more than other equipment projects. They leave only an amount " insuffisant - £5,5 billion for the next ten years - to provide all planned armored vehicle programs. The ministry has been both undecided and too ambitious in defining its equipment criteria, while the means of purchasing vehicles are too complicated ", criticizes the report which underlines that the work carried out during the SDSR (strategic review) has " not enough ". In the future, it should have a more " realistic in its equipment, by being more determined and giving clear priorities. 

Report to download within B2 docs