UK's fairy land equipment budget
The UK Ministry of Defence’s equipment budget is based on a dream world of accounting where they think their reduced cost forecasts will be met.
Released on 12 January, the ten-year equipment budget stretches from 2014-15 to 2023-24 and will see overall cuts of £1.4 billion. According to the National Audit Office’s (NAO) Major Equipment report, the savings made in the budget are the result of reductions in future cost forecasts.
However, the NAO said that these forecasts were ‘over-optimistic’ and ‘could result in overall budgets for procurement and support being significantly understated’.
‘Project teams continue to be over-optimistic
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Defence Notes
-
Canada set to look away from its neighbour and across the Atlantic for partners
While non-EU UK struggles to join the Security Action for Europe initiative, which provides loans for defence programmes, Canada has become the first country outside Europe to get access – and did so for a nominal fee.
-
NATO experiments with solutions to integrate networks, AI and uncrewed systems
During the latest edition of the NATO DiBaX, the alliance tested multiple capabilities to inform requirements for future efforts.
-
Leonardo unveils plans for Michelangelo air defence dome
The new multi-layered defence system will harness AI to neutralise airborne threats and protect Europe from Russian aggression.