British troops ‘compelled to purchase their very own equipment’ forward of deployment to Putin’s border | UK | News | EUROtoday

British troopers are resorting to plugging army functionality gaps with gear bought on-line, a Labour MP has shockingly claimed.

Former Royal Marine Fred Thomas says troops are shopping for drones and different digital warfare devices forward of deployment to Eastern Europe.

While the Ministry of Defence (MoD) rejects the declare, consultants say it raises questions over whether or not the British Army faces an excessive amount of crimson tape within the face of attainable deployment.

Mr Thomas stated: “Many of our soldiers have taken it upon themselves to buy tech online and tinker with it to produce contemporary capability.

“From drones that kill tanks, to electro-magnetic warfare devices – they’re not waiting around for the system to put the right kit in their hands – they are getting after it themselves.”

The MoD blasted the declare as “untrue,” telling the Express: “While personnel may use limited items of individual kit on exercise and operations, such as authorised personal clothing, this is not the case for technical equipment, including drones.”

They added that every one technical gear deployed on workout routines and operations are “subject to robust processes of assurance and risk management to ensure they are safe and fit for purpose”.

But those who have been deployed say otherwise.

Former officer Andrew Fox, who completed three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces, said it was “common” for soldiers to purchase the kit themselves.

He told the Express: “It is quite common. Everyone is playing catch up with drones.

“Certainly they had to in Ukraine, loads of off the shelf stuff has been bought by Ukrainian soldiers and even now you will still find crowdfunding to buy drones.

“In terms of potentially deploying to a hostile theatre without enough kit, we know the British Army is underfunded, we know they don’t have enough tanks, never mind enough drones.

“The bottom line is, we have troops deploying with radios that are older than their parents, maybe even their grandparents in some cases, we’re not in a great state.

“The lack of drones is just symptomatic of a much wider malaise.”

Defence chiefs are presently inspecting how the UK would contribute to a peace pressure in Ukraine, greater than 20 years on from Britain’s invasion of Iraq, the place many troops criticised the insufficient equipment and gear.

In February alone, Russia launched 3,902 drones at Ukraine, a determine that doesn’t embody these used for surveillance and reconnaissance functions.

Drone warfare in Ukraine has expanded past surveillance and reconnaissance, with unmanned autos proving deadly in an offensive capability.

However, the potential of the UK Armed Forces to make use of drones in an efficient deadly capability nonetheless lags means behind that of its friends in NATO.

China presently enjoys a monopoly on the drone trade, with the huge variety of drones out there available on the market being manufactured in China or consisting of components made within the nation.

Currently, the highest 5 finest promoting drones on Amazon are all offered by Chinese firms, elevating severe safety issues in regards to the equipment being purchased and deployed by well-meaning troopers.

Former chief of the Conservative Parry Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged the MOD to hurry up their procurement of mission important equipment as he emphasised the necessity to develop and procure key capabilities within the UK.

He instructed the Daily Express: “The Army should be providing soldiers with the kit they need, they are lightyears behind.

“They need to work with companies who make these pieces of kit and buy them from there. If we go on buying them from China, it only helps China and it brings a wide range of security risks.

“The British government should be working to get proper sources and if possible, make them in the UK. Drones are changing the nature of warfare and we cannot be buying our equipment from our adversaries.

“They should get their act together and start placing contracts with British companies who either make them here, or if needs be, in Europe.”

Sir Iain’s calls echo these of defence consultants who’ve urged the Government to reap the benefits of the 1000’s of small to medium enterprises growing cheap and tactically efficient items of equipment within the drone sphere.

Mr Thomas, who nonetheless serves within the Royal Marine reserves, slammed the dearth of urgency being utilized to the modernisation of the Armed Forces.

He added: “Everyone involved in defence gets it, but people outside don’t. John Healey gets it as does Number 10, but our paralysed system has been decades in the making and change is hard.

“As a country, we have lots of challenges and other government departments have their own priorities.

“The army gets the need for modernisation, from private soldier to general – and industry does as well, yet it has not happened. We are still sending people out without drones or anywhere near the kind of kit they need.

“The Ukraine war is demonstrating how obsolete training people in traditional ways is becoming, the majority of casualties are being sustained by drones not rifles.”

Last month, Mr Healey introduced formidable plans to reform defence procurement, saying that in its present kind, it lacks accountability and is stricken by ineffectiveness.

He stated: “We duplicate even the most central tasks, defence is mired in process and procedure. We’ve added complexity where simplicity is needed.

“Procurement, we’ve got a situation where we employ eleven checkers for every one decision maker. So, no wonder it takes an average six years for a large programme simply to get onto contract.”

Healey introduced the creation of a National Armaments Director who will oversee transformation in the best way the MOD procures by driving efficiencies, investing in British trade and simplifying processes throughout the three companies.

Conservative MP David Reed, a former Royal Marine and defence guide believes that the UK must faucet into the potential of enterprising and modern small and medium enterprises and take away forms, which regularly deters firms from partaking with the method required to even bid for contracts.

He stated: “We need to cut lots of the MOD red tape so that it’s easier for industry to engage with the department. I understand the approach that the MOD has taken in recent decades, but the current situation dictates that there needs to be far greater collaboration between our military, defence civil servants and defence companies.

“We need to make it far easier for innovative small and medium-sized companies (SME) to deliver for our defence.

“Currently, the process that SMEs must go through to engage with defence is long and clunky, and many of them give up and find business elsewhere.

“We need the best tech and manufacturing companies to see defence as a reliable partner if we really want to scale our defence procurement.”