14 March 2003
As the British armed forces gear themselves for a seemingly inevitable conflict in the Gulf, MPs have warned the Ministry of Defence it must equip soldiers properly for extreme conditions following a series of embarrassing planning blunders.
The Commons' influential Public Accounts Committee attacked the MoD for its 'deficient' and 'inadequate' handling of a mock troop deployment in Oman in 2001, which raised questions over the army's preparedness for a desert-based conflict.
A PAC report published on March 12 says that Exercise Saif Sareea II was dogged by poor planning, including the failure to modify the army's main Challenger 2 tank so that it could operate in the hot, dusty conditions.
Vital communications equipment also failed, while soldiers were poorly equipped, MPs said. Many troops watched helplessly as their boots simply melted in the hot weather.
The report will be viewed as another blow to the MoD's preparation for a possible war with Iraq. US troops stationed in the Gulf have already dubbed their British allies 'The Flintstones' because of their obsolete supplies.
The report states: 'In the event of military action in the Gulf, the MoD must do everything it can to ensure that British forces are properly equipped for the extreme conditions.'
MoD officials were also criticised for allowing the cost of the operation to spiral, which 'acted against the achievement of value for money.'
Committee chair Edward Leigh said: 'As the situation in the Gulf develops, I expect no stone to be left unturned in ensuring that our forces have proper equipment for the environment they face.'
PFmar2003
