Member News
By Lesley Foottit - 13th October 2009
MPs have criticised the Ministry of Defence over its procurement processes for getting vital equipment to troops serving in Afghanistan.
Although most of the urgent operational requirement (UOR) system had performed well, the Commons public accounts committee said there had been some problems.
Spare parts have been short for both helicopters and military vehicles, while other equipment had been found faulty after deployment.
Only 20 per cent of the Mastiff armoured vehicles that were initially deployed were classified as roadworthy, although the situation has since improved.
In order to cope with the shortages, parts from aircrafts in theatre and in the UK have had to be used, while troops were forced to rely on helicopters from other coalition members.
The committee stated that the upcoming strategic defence review should "fundamentally re-examine" whether the current equipment programme was meeting the needs for current and future operations.
Committee chairman Edward Leigh said there were more important concerns regarding the system of support for forces deployed on operations.
"This equipment has mostly performed well. But the serious downside is that problems with reliability have sometimes emerged only after the kit has actually been deployed," he said.
"The MoD's high degree of reliance on this procurement process must be questioned."
Armed forces minister Bill Rammell said the MoD would look into the matter in detail.
"The MoD will carefully consider the committee's detailed conclusions and recommendations and make a full response in due course," he said.
"I welcome this report by the public accounts committee. They have rightly recognised the successes MoD has had in supporting operations in the challenging environments of Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The committee correctly pays tribute to the life-saving frontline medical care our injured personnel receive, pointing out that higher numbers of the severely wounded, who would have previously died, are now surviving.
"Our forces in Afghanistan are equipped and supported from long-term core capabilities. These have been supplemented by the UOR process to respond to specific requirements particular to the operational environment and emerging threats, as identified by commanders on the ground."
The minister said the UOR process £has been extremely effective, both in Afghanistan and in other operational theatres to respond to unforeseen urgent operational requirements.
"We are working extremely hard to source spares from alternative suppliers based within the UK to ensure that demand is met," Rammell added.
Leigh accepted that the process of getting equipment and supplies out to our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan is "undeniably an extremely demanding one".
"But the fact that the MoD continues to fail to meet its own supply chain targets is of concern," he warned.
"The department must improve its logistic information systems so that it always knows where stocks are and can fully track through the supply chain their movement to our troops."
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd