Dated February 2012. Summary of responses to Green Paper published December 2010 (Cm. 7989, ISBN 9780101798921), published alongside the White paper 'National security through technology' (Cm. 8278, ISBN 9780101827829)

This Green Paper looks at the procurement of equipment, support, and technology for UK defence and security and follows on from the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) (ISBN 9780101794824), published on the 19th October 2010. The UK today faces a different and more complex range of threats than last century. The most serious threats include international terrorism, hostile attacks upon UK cyberspace, a major natural hazard or an international military crisis. Therefore the Government needs access to critical technologies and skills to underpin the UK's national security and to achieve these by setting out clear plans covering the following areas: (i) acquiring the equipment needed; (ii) support for the equipment and its users; (iii) investing or acquiring the necessary technologies to secure these objectives both now and in the future. This consultation paper and the responses it receives will form part of a White Paper to be published in 2011.

This White Paper, divided into two parts, lays out the Government's policy objectives in relation to "National Security through Technology", particularly in relation to technology, equipment, and support for UK defence and security. Part 1: UK Defence and Security Procurement - sets out the Government's aims for the procurement of technology, equipment and support to meet the UK's defence and security needs; Part 2: The UK Defence and Security Industry - looks at the wider UK perspective, including growth, skills, and emerging sectors, within the context of defence and security procurement policy and at government action to encourage UK-based companies to fulfil defence requirements here and develop successful exports. The publication follows up and develops themes and issues raised in the Green Paper "Equipment, support and technology for UK defence and security: consultation paper" (Cm.7989, ISBN 9780101798921, published December 2010). A second publication, published alongside this White Paper, Cm. 8277 (ISBN 9780101827720), contains the Government's responses to the original Green Paper.

This book analyses UK defence as a complex, interdependent public-private enterprise covering politics, management, society, and technology, as well as the military. Building upon wide-ranging applied research, with extensive access to ministers, policy makers, senior military commanders, and industrialists, the book characterises British defence as a phenomenon that has endured extensive transformation this century. Looking at the subject afresh as a complex, extended enterprise involving politics, alliances, businesses, skills, economics, military practices, and citizens, the authors profoundly reshape our understanding of ‘defence’ and how it is to be commissioned and delivered in a world dominated by geopolitical risks and uncertainties. The book makes the case that this new understanding of defence must inevitably lead to new policies and processes to ensure its health and vitality. This book will be of much interest to students of defence studies, British politics, and military and strategic studies, as well as policy makers and practitioners.

This strategy document sets out the Government's analysis of the UK's defence industrial capabilities requirement, and is divided into three parts: i) a strategic overview including information on the principles and processes that underpin procurement and industrial decisions, the need for transparency, the evolving defence industry environment, developments and innovation in defence research technology; ii) a review of different industrial sectors and cross-cutting industrial capabilities; and iii) how the strategy will be implemented and an assessment of implications for the Ministry of Defence and industry as a whole.

This white paper sets out the Government's intentions for reform of defence equipment delivery, equipment support and logistics supply. It covers two major reforms - the creation of a new body to replace the existing Defence Equipment and Support Organisation; and the strengthening of the arrangements governing the procurement of equipment where MOD is unable to source its requirement through open competition. These reforms represent a radical change to how the Ministry of Defence conducts its business, delivering a more effective and efficient way of providing the equipment and capabilities the Armed Forces need to keep the United Kingdom secure. They will help to ensure that equipment and capabilities are delivered on time, on budget and to specification - cutting out waste and ensuring that precious resources are concentrated where they are needed most - on the front-line

The Defence Reform was launched in August 2010 as a fundamental review of how Defence is structured and managed. Many of the issues are not new and have been noted by similar reviews. The Steering Group believes an effective MOD is one which builds on the strengths of the individual Services and the Civil Service and does so within a single Defence framework that ensures the whole is more than the sum of its parts. A key driver for this review has been the Department's over-extended programme, to which the existing departmental management structure and management structure and behaviours contributed. Many of the Steering Group's proposals are designed to help prevent the Department from getting into such a poor financial position in the future and to put it in the position to make real savings. There are 53 recommendations the key ones of which are: to create a new and smaller Defence Board chaired by the Defence Secretary to strengthen top level decision making; to clarify the responsibilities of senior leaders, including the Permanent Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Staff; make the Head Office smaller and more strategic, to make high level balance of investment decisions, set strategic direction and a strong corporate framework; focus the Service Chiefs on running their Services and empower them to perform their role effectively with greater freedom to manage; strengthen financial and performance management throughout the Department to ensure future plans are affordable; create a 4 star led Joint Forces Command; create single, coherent Defence Infrastructure and Defence Business Services organisations; manage and use less senior military and civil personnel more effectively, people staying in post longer, more transparent and joint career management.