Military assistance and training
60. Military assistance and training for the armed
forces of overseas countries is one of the elements of the defence
diplomacy mission set out in the Strategic Defence Review.[130]
This role is fulfilled in different ways and on a varying scale
in each of the countries of the Gulf region which we visited,
but typically includes British personnel on secondment, assistance
and advice on training, and joint exercises. Statistics for military
assistance to Gulf Co-operation Council countries in financial
year 1998-99 are set out below.
Source: Ministry of Defence Performance Report 1998-99,
Annex G
BAHRAIN
61. The MoD works with the Bahrain Defence Force
to provide military assistance tailored to Bahrain's requirements.
One Loan Service Officer is on attachment to assist with course
formulation at the Shaikh Isa Military College which was set up
in 1997 to provide basic officer training[131]
and the Bahraini Minister of Defence told us that UK assistance
with NCO training had been particularly valuable. Bahrain is a
regular port for British ships from the Armilla patrol[132]
and, earlier this year, the UK was involved in Exercise Neon Falcon,
a joint exercise with the US and Bahrain in which Royal Navy vessels
including the carrier HMS Illustrious, the nuclear submarine HMS
Triumph and the destroyer HMS Gloucester took part.[133]
KUWAIT
62. There has been a British Military Mission in
Kuwait since 1993, providing advice and assistance to the Kuwaiti
armed forces and government on a wide range of military activities.
The team now involves 47 UK personnel. The UK has also, at the
request of the Kuwaiti government, set up and assists in the running
of a Joint Command and Staff College to train and educate senior
officers who now come to the College from all the Gulf Co-operation
Council countries. A number of Kuwaiti Service personnel also
attend Royal Navy and Army training courses in the UK.[134]
In an effort to rebuild Kuwaiti armed forces after the Gulf War,
the United States undertook to set up an exercise programme involving
coalition forces, for which Kuwait would provide host nation support.
UK participation in such exercises had been minimal but, following
Kuwaiti representations, plans were put in place for UK armoured
forces to exercise alongside US and Kuwaiti personnel in a regular
series of exercises which began last year.[135]
63. The Kuwait Programme Office (KPO) provides UK
assistance to the Kuwait Defence Forces in the procurement of
defence equipment. This service is provided at no expense to the
UK, and the work is carried out by a mix of civilian and military
staff based in the UK, with a small detachment in Kuwait. Business
is conducted under government-to-government agreements through
Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs). KPO projects include:
a 254 fleet of Desert Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles; Sea
Skua anti-ship missiles; refurbishment of Hawk jet trainer aircraft;
and naval personnel training.[136]
SAUDI ARABIA
64. Saudi Arabia provides one of the UK's largest
defence markets.[137]
Current defence exports arise from the Al Yamamah agreement, a
government-to-government programme, based on a Memorandum of Understanding,
agreed in 1985, for the supply of aircraft, ships and support.
The MoD's Saudi Arabian Projects (MODSAP) office, part of the
Defence Exports Sales Organisation (DESO), acts on behalf of the
Saudi government to ensure that BAe, as the prime contractor,
meets its contractual arrangements. It is staffed by RAF, Royal
Navy and civilian personnel. Almost all the equipment contracted
for in the agreement has now been delivered and MODSAP's role
now focuses on in-service support for the equipment in service
in the Saudi armed forces.[138]
The precise arrangements under which Al Yamamah operates are sensitive
but we were given an in-depth briefing by MODSAP on a wide-range
of current issues connected with the agreement when we visited
Saudi Arabia. We also discussed these arrangements briefly in
our Report last Session on the appointment of the new head of
the DESO.[139]
65. UK military assistance projects in Saudi Arabia
include a British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National
Guard, providing advice on such issues as officer training and
developing basic military skills, and in more specialised areas
such as anti-terrorism. In addition, a separate, specialised team
is assisting in the procurement and commissioning of a new communications
system for the National Guard. A small Royal Navy liaison team
provides support to the King Fahd Naval Academy at Jubail.[140]
Joint exercises between UK and Saudi forces are not a regular
occurrence but HMS Illustrious took part in exercises with Saudi
vessels when the Carrier Task Group was in the region earlier
in the year.
Increasing the level of UK assistance?
66. In the Secretary of State's view—
We agree that our Forces can make a significant contribution
to enhancing defence relations and were concerned that the UK
could be doing more in this respect. When we were in Kuwait, we
were told that the Kuwaitis would welcome assistance with expanding
their Staff College. We asked the Secretary of State about this—
67. We also raised with the Secretary of State concerns
which had been expressed to us that the UK was losing out in opportunities
to increase training and other assistance to Gulf countries because,
unlike the US and France, the UK charges for such services. His
view was—
We believe it would be regrettable if the UK was
to lose influence because of the MoD's policy of charging for
assistance which other countries are prepared to offer free, or
at a lower cost. We agree that the UK provides very high quality
training but the MoD cannot rely on this to convince overseas
governments to send their personnel here rather than elsewhere,
or to seek UK assistance when it is more willingly offered by
other countries. We recommend that the MoD examine very carefully
the balance between the financial benefit it receives by charging
for military assistance and training and the less evident but
real benefits which might accrue from offering such services at
lower or no cost to those countries with whom it is in our interests
to retain good relations.
68. An important element of defence relations is
defence sales and there is undoubtedly a link between the commitment
countries are prepared to make in offering military assistance
to friendly nations and their ability to sell defence equipment
to those nations. The Secretary of State was reluctant to accept
that there was a direct correlation between the two[144]
but this probably reflects the rather ambivalent attitude the
UK has to defence sales, compared with our more up-front allies,
such as France and the US. The impression we gained during our
visit was that host countries have great respect for the UK's
approach in keeping military assistance separate from defence
sales and it is obvious that there is a delicate line to tread
here. Decisions about defence procurement, in the Gulf countries
as elsewhere, are frequently political decisions. The MoD should
be prepared, on occasions, to be more direct in linking the promotion
of UK equipment to military assistance. Otherwise it risks the
UK defence industry being disadvantaged to the benefit of our
less coy allies and competitors.
69. Our visit provided us with an opportunity to
meet the Chief of the General Staff in Saudi Arabia; the Crown
Prince, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Defence and Foreign
Affairs in Bahrain; and the Foreign and Defence Ministers and
the Chief of Staff in Kuwait. These meetings provided us with
an opportunity to discuss a wide range of defence and foreign
policy issues and to hear the views of the host countries on their
relations with Iraq and their other neighbours. In addition we
visited the consultative Shura councils in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
and the National Assembly in Kuwait and had valuable discussions
with our fellow parliamentarians on their work and how this might
develop in the future. We believe that contacts of this kind
are a vital part of the work of select committees and that through
visits of this kind we are able to make a significant contribution
to defence diplomacy.
138 Ev
p 23-24 Back
139 Second
Report from the Defence Committee, Session 1998-99, The Appointment
of the New Head of Defence Export Services, HC 147 Back
141 Speech
by the Secretary of State for Defence to the RUSI Conference on
Gulf Security 2000, op cit Back
144 See
QQ 84-85 and 92 Back
£Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates
Our military training teams
and loan service personnel, and the courses which Arab soldiers,
sailors and airmen attend at UK training establishments, are obvious
manifestations of our commitment to enhancing the military capability
of the region. These contacts help to build bridges. But they
also enhance and make more credible the ability of the Gulf States
to deter would-be aggressors. This is a direct contribution to
regional stability, and one that I believe the British Armed Forces
are uniquely qualified to make.[141]
I think there is every prospect
that we can develop further training assistance for Kuwait and
it is something that we are actively pursuing.[142]
... the kind of training
we provide is of the very best quality. That is very well recognised
and people are willing to pay for it. I accept that there is competition
both for equipment and for training and we will have to look carefully
to ensure that we maintain the right kinds of relationships. Certainly
the training experience that a number of people have had in the
United Kingdom does mean that they remain lifelong friends of
the United Kingdom very often and I would be very reluctant to
see that benefit lost because, for example, we were not able to
attract people because of the costs of training. I have to say
for the moment that is not the case, we have no shortage of people
coming for training. Whilst there is competition around on price
I still remain absolutely confident that what people are getting
from training in the United Kingdom cannot easily be duplicated
anywhere else. I think you will find that most other people recognise
that fact.[143]
130 Strategic Defence Review, Cm 3999, July 1998, pp
14-15 Back
Prepared 2 August 2000
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