The Establishment of a Permanent Joint Headquarters
1. The permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) was officially inaugurated on 3 April at Northwood by the Secretary of State for Defence. Establishing the PJHQ has involved bringing together at one location some 330 staff, the majority of whom were previously spread throughout the Ministry of Defence Head Office and the single Services. The PJHQ has enhanced our ability to respond quickly to crises as they emerge by improving the way in which we are able to predict, plan and conduct the United Kingdom's joint, and potentially joint, military operations.
2. Intelligence staffs in both the existing Defence Intelligence Staff and the PJHQ liaise closely in monitoring potential trouble-spots around the world to which the United Kingdom might be required to deploy forces. Early identification of possible crises allows the timely development and refinement of contingency plans by civilian, specialist scientific and medical staffs, as well as tri-Service military personnel at the PJHQ. Should there subsequently be a requirement to deploy forces, the PJHQ has within it the core of a deployable headquarters, with trained staff who can rapidly and efficiently set up a joint force headquarters in the theatre of operations.
3. Prior to responsibility for live military operations being transferred to the PJHQ, it will, over the coming months, participate in joint military exercises (including Exercise PURPLE STAR - see [refer] to verify and validate its operating systems and procedures.
4. Although the PJHQ is primarily a command headquarters for national operations, we recognise that the United Kingdom, and the PJHQ, will frequently be required to respond in concert with other nations. The PJHQ is therefore establishing strong bilateral links with the operational headquarters of potential military partners. It stands ready to participate in formal and informal international coalitions, and could also have a valuable contribution to make in support of some NATO operations.
5. In addition to its operational responsibilities, the PJHQ will have an important role to play in providing a focus for developing the United Kingdom's joint capability across a number of areas and in helping to ensure that, when deployed, units from all three Services can operate as a cohesive whole. Its responsibilities thus include developing joint warfare doctrine and procedures, joint training and exercises and establishing joint operational standards.
6. The permanent nature of the PJHQ, and the wider range of activities that it is able to undertake as a consequence, has allowed responsibilities to be transferred from the Ministry of Defence Head Office, which will in future concentrate on formulating policy and providing the strategic direction of operations. The PJHQ will contribute to that process in full partnership with the Head Office, and will then be well-placed to implement the policy. With the establishment of the PJHQ, the policy and commitments areas of the Ministry of Defence Head Office are being restructured.
Photo The Secretary of State for Defence inaugurates the permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood
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