DefenceSynergia is grateful to Howard Wheeldon for these thoughts on the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Defence Space Conference being held on 21^st May.

It is especially relevant as the conference has triggered the Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable Gavin Williamson MP, to announce that Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Command has been given responsibility for command and control of UK military space operations to defend the UK’s interest in space.

Here is what Howard has to say on the subject: (more…)

Last year, before he resigned as Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon rightly responded to pressure from Jonny Mercer MP’s Defence Sub-Committee report into the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) excesses by shutting down that inquiry. Well done to all involved we said, but the problem did not begin or end with IHAT. (more…)

By John Marshall, Defence Synergia Founding member.

I came away pretty unimpressed with Sir Mark Sedwill’s (NSA) honesty and highly impressed with his ability to dodge the issues and his own responsibilities.

During the course of evidence, Julian Lewis, Johnny Mercer, Madeleine Moon, and Ruth Smeeth made telling points which were all brushed aside by long winded and oft repeated “lectures” on process rather than giving succinct answers to the questions and giving his honest and straightforward opinion on specific aspects when asked; after all, as The Security Adviser, that would have been perfectly in order, subject to genuine security caveats. Instead, he prevaricated behind a general shield of being a humble civil servant. Additionally, he repeatedly muddied the waters by dissipating “defence” issues in the morass of “twelve areas of security considerations”. (more…)