The 2003 Defence
White PaperA White paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions...
, titled
Delivering Security in a Changing World set out the future structure of the British military, and was preceded by the 1998
Strategic Defence ReviewThe Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
(SDR) and the 2002 SDR New Chapter, which responded to the immediate challenges to security in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Published under the then
Secretary of State for DefenceThe Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position....
,
Geoff HoonGeoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Ashfield since 1992...
, the report effectively introduced a series of cutbacks to core equipment and manpower and the scaling back of a series of future capital procurement projects.
The 2003 Defence
White PaperA White paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions...
, titled
Delivering Security in a Changing World set out the future structure of the British military, and was preceded by the 1998
Strategic Defence ReviewThe Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
(SDR) and the 2002 SDR New Chapter, which responded to the immediate challenges to security in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Published under the then
Secretary of State for DefenceThe Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position....
,
Geoff HoonGeoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Ashfield since 1992...
, the report effectively introduced a series of cutbacks to core equipment and manpower and the scaling back of a series of future capital procurement projects. This was justified due to the implementation of a policy termed
Network Enabled CapabilityNetwork Enabled Capability, or NEC, is the name given to the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence intent to achieve enhanced military effect through the better use of information systems towards the goal of "right information, right place, right time - and not too much".NEC is envisaged as the...
. The review also outlined a major restructuring and consolidation of
British Army InfantryThe British Army's Infantry, part of the Structure of the British Army, comprises 51 battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments. Of these 37 battalions are part of the 'Regular' army and the remaining 14 a part of the 'Territorial' force...
regiments.
Key points
The White Paper, scaling back to an extent from the previous Strategic Defence Review, outlined the following posture for the UK armed forces:
- The ability to support three simultaneous small (e.g. Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards.-Tactical situation:...
in Sierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.4 million...
) to medium scale (e.g. Operation VeritasOperation Veritas was the codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan in 2001. British forces very much played a supporting role to the American Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the British contribution was an important part of the overall...
in AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
) operations, where at least one is an enduring peace-keeping mission (e.g. Kosovo). These forces must be capable of acting as lead nation in any coalition operations.
- The ability, at longer notice, to deploy forces in a large scale operation (e.g. Operation Telic
Operation TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. A total of 46,000 troops of all the British Services were committed to the operation at its start...
in IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
or Operation HerrickOperation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
in AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
) while running a concurrent small scale operation.
Most of the reforms listed below were announced as part of the
Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities review, published on 21 July 2004.
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
-
- Manpower
Manpower may refer to:Organizations:*Manpower Inc., an international employment agency, headquartered in the United States*Manpower Incorporated, a criminal enterprise in the Honor Harrington science fiction series...
reduced by 1,000.
- Restructuring will cut four infantry battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
s otherwise tasked to Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and the manpower redistributed elsewhere.
- Army High Velocity Missile
Starstreak is a British short range surface-to-air missile manufactured by Thales Air Defence Limited , in Belfast. It is also known as Starstreak HVM where HVM stands for "High Velocity Missile". After launch the missile accelerates to approximately Mach 3.5, at which point it launches three laser...
fire units to be halved, which would lead to the re-role of two TA Royal ArtilleryThe Royal Artillery is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
s.
- The re-role of a Challenger 2
FV4034 Challenger 2 is a main battle tank currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It is built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems . The manufacturer advertises it as the world's most reliable main battle tank...
regiment into an armoured reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
regiment and several AS-90The AS-90 is a lightly-armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. It was first delivered in 1993....
batteriesIn military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
to a light gun regiment, into what would become 19 Light Brigade (see Future Army Structure).
- Withdrawal of seven Challenger 2 squadron
A squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, armour, aircraft , or warships.-Army and Marines:A cavalry squadron , typically consists of four troops.-United States:...
s and six AS-90The AS-90 is a lightly-armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. It was first delivered in 1993....
self-propelled gunA self-propelled gun is a gun, whether it be an artillery piece, anti-tank gun, or anti-aircraft gun, mounted on a motorized wheeled or tracked chassis...
batteries (approx. 84 tankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and tactical offensive and defensive capabilities...
s and 48 AS90s).
- Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
battalions to be incorporated into new, large, multi-battalion regiments.
- Creation of three light armoured squadrons that will support development of the next generation of armoured vehicles, the Future Rapid Effect System
The Future Rapid Effect System is the UK Ministry of Defence’s programme to deliver a fleet of more than 3,000 armoured vehicles for the British Army that is rapidly deployable, network-enabled, capable of operating across the spectrum of operations; and protected against the most likely...
(FRES).
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
-
- Manpower reduced by 7,000.
- Early withdrawal of the 41-strong SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman. It was among the first major Anglo-French military aircraft programs...
force by 2007 and closure of Jaguar's operating baseAn airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, RAF ColtishallThe former Royal Air Force Station Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1938 to 2006....
, NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
.
- Current Nimrod MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle which is able to fly by being supported by the air, or in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil An aircraft is a vehicle which is able to fly by being supported...
fleet to be reduced from 21 to 16.
- Reduction in the purchase of re-manufactured Nimrod MRA.4s from 18 to 16 (eventually 12) aircraft.
- Reduction of Tornado F3 force by one squadron (16 aircraft) in preparation for replacement with Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine canard-delta wing multirole aircraft. It is being designed and built by a consortium of three separate partner companies: Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, and EADS working through a holding company Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986...
.
- Reduction of 6 Puma helicopter
A helicopter is an aircraft that is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades. Helicopters are classified as rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft to distinguish them from fixed-wing aircraft because the helicopter achieves lift with the...
s of No. 230 Squadron RAFNo. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron based at RAF Benson.The squadron was part of the RAF in Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980...
based in Northern Ireland.
- Reduction in Rapier missile
Rapier is a British surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army and Royal Air Force. Entering service in 1971, it eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service; guns for low-altitude targets, and the English Electric Thunderbird...
launchers from 48 to 24 and transfer to the Army Royal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery is generally known as the Royal Artillery and is nicknamed the Gunners. The regiment is an arm of the British Army...
, and the disbandment of four RAF RegimentThe Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 29 week trainee gunner course its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and ensure...
squadrons which operated Rapier.
- Additional procurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods and/or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the right quality and quantity, at the right time, in the right place and from the right source for the direct benefit or use of corporations, individuals, or even governments, generally via a...
numbers of Hawk 128 training aircraftA trainer is an aircraft used to develop piloting, navigational or war-fighting skills in flight crew.Civilian pilots are normally trained in a light aircraft, with 2 or more seats to allow for student and instructor. The aircraft may be modified to withstand the flight conditions imposed by...
above an initial batch of 20 to be decided upon in 2005.
- Typhoon purchase confirmed, Tranche 2 contract
In law, a contract is a binding legal agreement that is enforceable in a court of law. That is to say, a contract is an exchange of promises for the breach of which the law will provide a remedy....
delayed until December 2004 when cost/capability issues were resolved.
- Purchase of 4 Boeing C-17s operated by the RAF at the end of their lease period including one additional aircraft for a total fleet of 5.
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
-
- Manpower reduced by 1,500.
- Reduced purchase of Type 45
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is a state-of-the-art air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE...
destroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range but powerful attackers .Before World War II, destroyers were light vessels without the endurance...
s from 12 to 8 (eventually 6) vesselsA ship is a large vessel that floats on water. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and passenger capacity. Ships may be found on lakes, seas, and rivers and they allow for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing, entertainment, public...
.
- Reduced force of Type 23
The Type 23 frigate is a class of frigate serving with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. All the ships are named after British Dukes, thus the class is also known as the Duke class. The first Type 23 was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, was launched in May 2000 and commissioned in June...
frigateA frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and manoeuvrability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s from 16 to 13 vessels by March 2006.
- Reduced force of nuclear attack submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
fleet (SSNs) from 12 to 8 boatA boat is a watercraft of modest size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is...
s by December 2008.
- Reduced force of mine countermeasure vessels
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations...
from 19 to 16 by April 2005.
- Northern Ireland patrol fleet of three reconfigured Hunt class
The Hunt class is a class of thirteen mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy. They combine the separate role of the traditional minesweeper and that of the active minehunter in one hull...
mine hunters to be decommissioned by April 2007.
- Early retirement of the three oldest Type 42
The Type 42 or Sheffield class, are guided missile destroyers of the Royal Navy.- History :The class was designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet area air-defence. In total fourteen vessels were constructed in three batches, five of which remain in service...
destroyers.
- Royal Navy Future Carrier (CVF)
The Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers are a two-ship class of aircraft carrier being developed for the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to enter service between 2014 and 2016; HMS Prince of Wales between 2016 and 2018...
purchase confirmed.
-
- A summary of warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way than merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuverable than merchant ships...
s to be paid off, as planned or early, without replacement as detailed in the review:
- HMS Cardiff
HMS Cardiff was a British Type 42 destroyer and the third ship of the Royal Navy to be named in honour of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. Construction was started by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and completed by Swan Hunter in Tyne and Wear...
Type 42 destroyer.
- HMS Newcastle
The eighth HMS Newcastle is a retired Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy, launched in 1975. The Batch 1 ships are much smaller than the Batch 3 ships of the same class....
Type 42 destroyer.
- HMS Glasgow
HMS Glasgow was a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was built at Swan Hunter Shipyard in Wallsend, Tyneside and launched on 14 April 1976 by Lady Kirstie Treacher, wife of Admiral Sir John Treacher. With a displacement of 4,820 tonnes, Glasgow is the 6th and last Batch 1 Type 42...
Type 42 destroyer.
- HMS Norfolk
The sixth HMS Norfolk was laid down in 1985 by Yarrow Shipbuilders. She was launched on the Clyde by H.R.H. the late Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon in July 1987. She was commissioned on the 1st of June 1990. HMS Norfolk was the 'first of class', as well as being the first of a new...
Type 23 frigate.
- HMS Marlborough
HMS Marlborough was a 'Duke'-class Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the sixth ship to bear the name. She was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.-History:...
Type 23 frigate.
- HMS Grafton
HMS Grafton was a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. It was the ninth vessel to bear the name, and is named after the Duke of Grafton....
Type 23 frigate.
- HMS Superb
HMS Superb is a nuclear powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy.She was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. HMS Superb was launched on 30 November 1974 at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and commissioned into the...
Swiftsure classThe Royal Navy's Swiftsure-class of nuclear fleet submarines is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN....
nuclear attack submarine.
- HMS Trafalgar
HMS Trafalgar is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy.After Operation Veritas, the attack on Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Trafalgar entered Plymouth Sound flying the Jolly Roger on 1 March 2002...
Trafalgar classThe Trafalgar class submarines are, until the introduction of the Astute class, the Royal Navy's most advanced nuclear fleet submarines...
nuclear attack submarine.
- HMS Brecon
HMS Brecon was a Hunt Class mine counter measures vessel that served with the Royal Navy. Her pennant number was M29.- Service:Brecon was built at Vosper Thornycroft, the lead yard for the Hunt Class. She was launched by the Duchess of Kent and commissioned on 18 December 1979. Brecon saw service...
Hunt class minehunter.
- HMS Cottesmore
HMS Cottesmore was a Hunt-class mine countermeasure vessel of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1982 and converted in 1997 into a patrol vessel. The ship was declared surplus to requirement and put on the MoD list for disposal in 2004...
Hunt class minehunter.
- HMS Dulverton
HMS Dulverton was a Hunt-class mine countermeasure vessel of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1982 and converted in 1997 into a patrol vessel. The ship was declared surplus to requirement and put on the MoD list for disposal in 2004...
Hunt class minehunter.
- HMS Bridport
HMS Bridport was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy. She decommissioned in 2004, and is awaiting transfer to the Estonian Navy....
Sandown classThe Sandown class is a class of minehunter originally built for the British Royal Navy . Sandown-class vessels also serve with the Royal Saudi Navy and the Estonian Navy...
minehunter.
- HMS Inverness
HMS Inverness was a Sandown-class minehunter of the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 2005.-Career:HMS Inverness was built by Vosper Thornycroft and launched on 27 February 1990 as one of the 12 ship class of Sandown class minehunters.Inverness took part in the major joint service Exercise...
Sandown class minehunter.
- HMS Sandown
HMS Sandown was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 2005.-Career:HMS Sandown was built by Vosper Thornycroft and launched on 16 April 1988 by the Duchess of Gloucester, as the lead ship of the 12 ship class of Sandown class minehunters...
Sandown class minehunter.
The review also mentioned "significant" classified enhancements of
British special forcesThe United Kingdom Special Forces is a UK Ministry of Defence Directorate which also has the capability to provide a Joint Special Operations Task Force Headquarters...
, including strength increases and investment in new equipment.
Financially, in a
TreasuryHM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy.- History :...
spending review announced the week before, the
budgetA budget is generally a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
would rise by £3.7bn from £29.7bn in 2004/2005 to £33.4bn in 2007/2008. The review also mentions £3bn to be invested into procuring new helicopters over the next ten years.
Future Army Structure
The future regimental
structure of the British ArmyThe structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands as top-level budget holders: Land Command and the Adjutant-General. These are responsible for providing forces at Operational Readiness for employment by the...
, after changes were outlined in the review was announced in December 2004. Significant changes included:
- Conversion of an armoured regiment to formation reconnaissance
- All single-battalion infantry regiments to be merged into existing or new regiments. This measure met with some opposition, especially in Scotland, amongst former soldiers and nationalist groups http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4318563.stm. It was however generally accepted by serving soldiers as a necessary step to improve their conditions of service and the general efficiency of the army.
- Conversion of 4th Armoured Brigade to a mechanised brigade
- Conversion of 19 Mechanised Brigade to a light brigade (19 Light Brigade).
- Conversion of a single battalion of the Parachute Regiment to a tri-service specialist special forces support battalion (see Special Forces Support Group
The Special Forces Support Group is a special operations unit of the British Armed Forces. A tri-service formation, based around the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment , which was transferred from the line infantry...
)
- Reorganisation of the Territorial Army infantry into 14 battalions that are attached to regular infantry regiments of the British Army.
- Reduction in number of British infantry
The British Army's Infantry, part of the Structure of the British Army, comprises 51 battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments. Of these 37 battalions are part of the 'Regular' army and the remaining 14 a part of the 'Territorial' force...
battalions from 40 to 36.
- Reduction in number and size of regular military bands in the Corps of Army Music
The Corps of Army Music is a corps of the British Army. It was formed in 1994 as an umbrella organisation, centred on the Royal Military School of Music, to oversee the 29 new permanent Military Bands formed following Options for Change, although each band continues to wear the capbadges and Full...
from 29 to 23.
- Reduction in numbers of Army Air Corps helicopters based in Northern Ireland.
- Creation of the Defence HUMINT
HUMINT, a syllabic abbreviation of the words HUMan INTelligence, refers to intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact, as opposed to the more technical intelligence gathering disciplines such as SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT...
Unit
- Creation of a new commando engineer regiment.
- Creation of a new signals regiment.
See also
- Structure of the British Army
The structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands as top-level budget holders: Land Command and the Adjutant-General. These are responsible for providing forces at Operational Readiness for employment by the...
- Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
(1990)
- Front Line First
Front Line First: The Defence Cost Study was a programme of defence cuts announced on 1994-07-14 by then Defence Secretary Malcolm Rifkind. Front Line First was announced four years after Options for Change, which was a military draw-down as a result of the end of the Cold War, often described as...
(1994)
- Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
(1998)
- European defence procurement
European defence procurement refers to the collective armaments purchasing policies of European nations.Traditionally European countries have either developed their own weapon systems or bought 'off the shelf' systems usually NATO-sponsored from the United States or from the Soviet Union, now from...
External links