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US & Russia to Halve Nuclear Arsenals

Russia and the US will pledge to begin slashing their nuclear arsenals by up to a half when President Barack Obama makes his first state visit to Moscow next week. Barack Obama is expected in Moscow on July 6-8 for his first summit with Dmitry Medvedev - they are expected to agree a deadline to cut nuclear arsenals by up to 50%.

Agreement on a December deadline for the start of decommissioning, expected to be imposed on Monday when Mr Obama meets his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, will be hailed in both Washington and Moscow as a breakthrough in efforts to revive relations between the two Cold War rivals.

Although no concrete figure is likely to be set during the American president's 3-day visit, observers say the two sides are hoping to cut their respective arsenals by up to 50%, to between 1,000 and 1,500 deployed warheads. Both countries claim currently to have about 2,200 missiles primed for deployment, with thousands more either in reserve or awaiting dismantlement.

The declaration will allow both leaders to claim a foreign policy success. The Kremlin needs a new deal to replace the Cold War START treaty more than the Americans. With most of its nuclear arsenal already technically defunct, military experts believe that Russia will only be able to maintain 500 deployed warheads by 2020. A new treaty, strongly resisted by President George W Bush, would allow to Russia to maintain parity with the United States and with it its last claim to genuine superpower status. For Mr Obama, a deal would allow him to boost his credentials as a president committed to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

Yet, although his visit will be couched in the language of diplomacy and partnership, Mr Obama has been told to expect a frosty welcome from his Russian hosts. Fresh from a triumphant trip to the Middle East, where he projected soft American power by reaching out to adversaries in the region, Mr Obama hopes to bring the same message of reconciliation to Russia.

The Russians, however, have greeted the overtures coolly, claiming that the atmosphere between the 2 countries remains too poisoned to hope for the swift improvement in ties that the Obama administration has advocated. "A crisis of trust developed between us in recent years," Sergei Lavrov, Russia's hawkish foreign minister, wrote this week. "Our political relationship became too adversarial. Overcoming this legacy will take time."

02/07/2009

1 July 1916: The Army’s Worst Day

The Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 1916 and lasted until 18 November 1916. It was among the largest battles of the First World War. With more than 1.5 million casualties, it is also one of the bloodiest military operations ever. Allied forces attempted to break through the German lines along a 12-mile front on both banks of the River Somme in northern France. The British plan for the Somme offensive was to achieve a breakthrough that could be exploited by cavalry. Once the German front was penetrated, a mobile force would sweep north towards Arras, rolling up the German line. An additional purpose of the offensive was to draw German forces away from the Battle of Verdun.

While Verdun affected the national consciousness of France for generations, the Somme has had the same effect on generations of British people. The battle is especially remembered for its first day, on which the British suffered 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 dead — the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army.

The battle was preceded by 7 days of preliminary artillery bombardment, in which the British fired over 1.7 million shells. Seventeen mines had also been planted in tunnels beneath the German front-line trenches and strongpoints; the 3 largest tunnels contained about 21 tons of explosives each. The explosions rattled plates 130 miles away. The attack was made by 13 British divisions north of the Somme River. This was the first major offensive mounted by the British Expeditionary Force and the first to involve substantial numbers of battalions from Lord Kitchener’s New Army. Included were many of the Pals battalions that had formed in response to Kitchener’s call for volunteers in August 1914. Heavy losses amongst these battalions led to a concentration of casualty notices in the communities from which they were formed.

Battalions advanced in waves with 2 platoons per wave on a 400-yard front which left about 5 yards between each soldier. A battalion would therefore advance in 8 waves (2 per company) plus additional waves for the battalion HQ and stretcher bearers. The advance would be carried out at a steady walking pace of 50 yards per minute. Soldiers in the leading waves were required to carry about 70 lb of equipment; rifle, bayonet, ammunition, 2 grenades, entrenching tool, empty sandbags, wire cutters, flares, etc. The later waves carried equipment for consolidating the captured trenches such as barbed wire & stakes.

The reasoning behind these tactics was twofold. Firstly, it was felt that the intense artillery bombardment would destroy the German garrison so that all that was required of the Infantry was to walk over and take possession of the objectives. Secondly, the basic tactical unit of manoeuvre in infantry units in 1916 was still the company of around 100 men, under the control of a single officer. Many of the New Army battalions had received little tactical training and it was considered essential that their tasks be kept simple.

The only significant first day success was made by the northern Irishmen of the 36th (Ulster) Division, attacking between the Ancre and Thiepval against a position known as the Schwaben Redoubt. Ignoring the recommended tactics, the Infantry had crawled into no man’s land before zero hour and, with the aid of an effective smoke screen, were able to rush the German frontline when the barrage lifted. The advance briefly reached the German second line at Stuff Redoubt. However, once the German barrage descended on no man’s land it was impossible to reinforce the captured position and, as the attacks on either side had failed, the men were subjected to counter-attacks from 3 directions. Having held out all day, the survivors retired in the evening.

While the opening days of the Somme offensive were a German tactical victory over the British, at the strategic level the Germans viewed the situation as worrying. The growing British artillery strength showed that the allies would have artillery superiority in future, especially as Britain could be expected to improve its usage of this advantage. Germany was forced to abandon an intended attack by Sixth Army further north, instead diverting its divisions to the Somme front - 14 by 9 July. Haig’s apparent willingness to commit the British Army to a war of attrition alarmed German leaders as it was recognised that Germany lacked the manpower and reserves to fight a war of attrition.

01/07/2009

New Carriers - Not Too Early for a Price Hike

The Government's decision to delay production of 2 new Royal Navy aircraft carriers could cost taxpayers about £1 billion, according to a leaked memo from the consortium building them. The 65,000-tonne ships could now cost almost £5 billion - 25% more than estimated a year ago when the contract was signed. This will add to pressure on the defence budget.

The Ministry of Defence is already struggling to find the cash for crucial procurement programmes. Meanwhile, rising public debt has led to suggestions that one of the carriers, or possibly the Trident nuclear deterrent, could be axed. Defence industry sources said almost two-thirds of the extra costs were attributable to MoD's decision in December to delay the carriers for 2 years.

Reprofiling the project meant that BVT – the joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Group building the carriers – would have to keep staff working longer, raising costs. The rest of the overrun is due to MoD's accounting treatment, and includes inflation adjustments and interest on capital.

According to the memo, written for chief executives of companies in the project, the cost growth could put the project under "severe pressure through the opposition and the media". It adds: "This is a very real fight for the programme's survival."

MoD said it had delayed the carriers, in the full knowledge that there would be a cost increase, in order "to reprioritise investment to meet current operational priorities and to better align the programme with the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft". MoD will publish an initial estimate next month. A formal costing will be available later this year.

The memo is quoted as saying one way to restrain costs would be "substantial redundancies". The project is thought to employ up to 10,000 people directly and many more in the supply chain. A BVT spokesman said the consortium remained committed to the project. Work on the carriers was "progressing well" and steel for the first carrier was due to be cut next week.

30/06/2009

HMS Invincible Cannibalised for Spares

The Government claims she is part of the fleet, ready to be called upon to defend the country if needed, but the truth is that HMS Invincible – supposedly in a state of 'extended readiness' – is in fact a warship far from ready for action. The Ministry of Defence claim she is available for action until September 2010, when she will leave the Fleet. But a Freedom of Information request has revealed she is crewed by just 4 people as she languishes in Portsmouth dockyard. She has been raided for spares – her engines have been stripped out and her propellers have been seen lying on her deck.

And far from being ready for service, Royal Navy sources say it would take around 18 months to prepare Invincible for use – a period which would take her well past the date she is scheduled to end her days in the Royal Navy. Her sorry state is a far cry from the description of her on the Royal Navy's website which claims she can be counted among the Navy's finest. The description refers to her decommissioning in 2005 by saying: 'This process is often mistaken for being withdrawn from service but we are still very much 'part of the fleet. In fact Invincible will remain available to the navy until 2010. This forms part of a long-term plan to assist with the introduction of the new CVF Aircraft Carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales.'

Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock, who sits on the Commons Defence Committee, said: 'Saying HMS Invincible is part of the Fleet and available to the Navy is the same as saying the Marie Celeste had a full ship's company in healthy mood. All of our ships bar submarines are visible to anyone and it doesn't take a genius to work out that Invincible isn't going anywhere. The navy should be more open, and not claiming capabilities we don't have.'

Former naval officer and editor of Warship World, Mike Critchley, said: 'As far as I'm aware she doesn't even have her anchors, which tells you how likely the chances of her going to sea are. She has been stripped of most valuable items for the other carriers, which makes sense, but that means the only time she is going to sea is when she leaves for the breaker's yard.'

Despite this, the Royal Navy insisted the carrier was still available to the fleet. A Navy spokesman said: 'It is not Royal Navy policy to discuss the readiness state of any warship for operational reasons. The position is that HMS Invincible remains within the Royal Navy Fleet and remains available until the time that she leaves service. Four Navy personnel remain on the scheme of complement of HMS Invincible and act as a full-time caretaking unit.'

29/06/2009

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