LONDON — The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has created a task force to discover whether more can be done to ensure that Britain's military effort in future conflicts is not undermined by the sorts of problems highlighted in a recently released scathing report into the Iraq War.
"I have set up a specific team at the MoD to look at all the changes made since Op Telic — in our operations and what we learnt in Iraq and Afghanistan — to see if there is more we need to change in our procedures," Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told a Royal United Service Institute conference in London on Thursday, a day after the report was released.
Op Telic is the British name for the operations in Iraq between 2003 and 2009.
"We have our urgent operational requirements system to get equipment to the front line more quickly, but I want to test again whether there is more we can do to be sure that in future conflicts our people are better served," Fallon told an audience of senior Air Force officers and industry executives.
The Iraq Inquiry Chilcot Inquiry lambasts the conduct of the British government and its Labour prime minister, Tony Blair, before and after the invasion of Iraq.
Some of the heaviest criticism was directed at the MoD, in part over its failings to provide sufficient equipment to British forces at the start of the invasion and subsequently their slow response to meet the evolving threat posed by improvised explosive devices used by Iraqi militia.
Support helicopter, ISTAR, protected vehicles, body armor and logistics systems were among the capability shortfalls identified by the inquiry headed by John Chilcot.
Fallon admitted the initial failings to supply equipment had been "crystal clear" but said Chilcot had accepted there had been an improvement in the way the MoD does things in subsequent campaigns.
The last few years has seen the MoD implement a major transformation in its high-level organization to try and improve effectiveness and efficiency of the operations and procurement effort.
Away from questions about Chilcot, Fallon said he expected to have news about Britain reestablishing a maritime patrol capability "very shortly."
The expectation is the Conservative government could announce a production deal on the Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft at the Farnborough air show, possibly as early as Monday.
British industry executives here say they are hoping the government will use the announcement to also map out its strategy for maintenance and repair of the jets locally to help deflect criticism over the lack of offset work associated with the deal.
The Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group already produces auxiliary fuel tanks for the P-8, but beyond that the MoD has been looking around for potential British involvement.
Boeing could also secure a deal for the supply of new Apache helicopters for the British Army at the show.
Industry executives at the conference said that it was possible a contract could be announced in tandem with the P-8 deal.
The P-8 order would put the seal on Conservative government moves to put right what is widely seen here as one of the biggest blunders of the 2010 strategic defense and security review — the axing of British maritime patrol aircraft capability.
The government has already said it will buy 9 Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the US government in a foreign military sales deal, but the UK is still working out the details of the production deal.
Fallon told the conference that increased Russian submarine activity meant it was "essential" Britain restore maritime patrol capability.
The defense secretary, Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond leave Friday for the two-day NATO summit in Warsaw.
The three ministers will be travelling to Warsaw in style, being the first users of a new VIP configuration installed on a Royal Air Force Airbus A330 Voyager normally used for flight refueling duties.
Fallon said the British would use the summit to make clear the UK's contribution to the reassurance measures NATO is planning on its eastern front to deter Russian aggression as well as encouraging allies to meet the alliance spending targets.
"We are deploying more troops on [NATO's] eastern flank, flying Typhoon jets [on quick reaction alert] in the Baltic and will be leading the Very High Readiness Task Force next year," Fallon said.
Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.
