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August 2006 |
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Contents New defence Web site launched © Cranfield University 2006
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New defence Web site launched This article was kindly written by Amanda Gowland, Internet Manager at the Ministry of Defence. The new Ministry of Defence Web site was launched in February 2006 and has received an excellent response from Defence staff and the general public.
The new site acts as a portal for all Defence-related topics and brings together the previously separate sites for News, Operations and Freedom Of Information. There is a strong emphasis on news, openness and information sharing, with new technologies such as RSS feeds allowing users to have news and information delivered directly to them. A wealth of information about the Ministry of Defence, its organisations and people can also be found on the site. The 'About Defence' section includes biographies, key facts and publications and information on issues such as low flying and equality and diversity. There are also 'micro sites' covering larger areas of the organisation such as the Defence Logistics Organisation and the Defence Procurement Agency. The RAF, Navy and Army Web sites have also been given prominent links from the home page to raise their profile. The site uses Microsoft Content Management System (MCMS), separating the design from the content, so all content on the site now originates directly from experts on the particular topics. Furthermore, Google Search has been deployed to maximise the potential for users to find what they are looking for. The site has gone from strength to strength since its launch with Defence Estate's Access and Recreation pages making the national press in March. New content is being added to the site daily and a number of organisations within the Ministry of Defence have expressed an interest in transferring their information to the new site. The Internet team will continue to work hard to make key information available to all. If you have any questions on the site, think something is missing or would like to publish your information to it, please contact the MoD Internet Team. July 7th : One year on Just over a year after the bombings in London in July 2005, there are now several official reports which are freely available in full text. Each covers aspects of the events and the responses by the emergency services as well as government and local government. Leading on from that day, some resources discuss lessons to be learned and how to plan for similar emergency situations in the capital. Here are a few resources beginning with the events of 7th July 2005 which look at the wider consequences of the bombings, including resilience and contingency strategy. Wikipedia: 7 July 2005 London bombings A comprehensive entry to this free, online encyclopedia, which includes links to official reports as well as providing a description of events, the investigation, information about the bombers, the effects of the bombings, the response of the emergency services and media, and historical comparisons. Report of the Official Account of the Bombings in London on the 7th July 2005 This narrative report (House of Commons paper 1087, 2005) summarises what the police, intelligence and security agencies have discovered to date about the bombers and how and why they came to do what they did. Reports of the 7 July Review Committee: London Assembly June 2006 The Review Committee considers lessons to be learnt from the
events and aftermath of the London bombings. Intelligence and Security Committee Report into the London Terrorist Attacks on 7 July 2005 This report, Cm 6785, focuses on the intelligence community and particularly the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). It examines intelligence and security matters relevant to the July terrorist attacks and focuses in particular on whether any intelligence which may have helped prevent the attacks was missed or overlooked, why the threat level to the UK was lowered prior to the attacks and what impact this had and what lessons were learned following the attacks and how these are being applied. The Government response to this report (Cm 6786) is also available. A Web site of the UK Government which provides information and advice to Londoners, visitors and businesses on London's preparation for, prevention of, and responses to, major incidents and emergencies. A Web site of the UK Government which provides information for civil protection groups. The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 The Act outlines roles and responsibilities for emergency preparation and response at the local level. Part 1 is concerned with local arrangements for civil protection and Part 2 relates to emergency powers. Countering International Terrorism: the United Kingdom's Strategy Produced in July 2006, this report (Cm 6888) outlines the UK Government's counter-terrorism strategy, and the programmes and plans it has set up to give effect to it. ISBN: 010688822. Threat Levels: the System to Assess the Threat from International Terrorism Until July 2006, the Government had not made public the way in which its system to assess threats worked or the threat levels that emerged from it. Following a review, it decided to inform the general public about the process and the national threat level, which applies to the UK as a whole. This report, produced by the Home Office, explains what threat levels are and how they are used. North Korean missile crisis: July 2006 On the 5th July 2006, North Korea test fired seven missiles including its new long range Taepodong-2 missile. This article provides a selection of links to Web resources providing news, analysis and commentary on the history of North Korean WMD development and its possible arsenal and capabilities; the strategic implications of DPRK missile and nuclear programmes; and international relations and Six Party Talks. Further sources of information can be accessed via both AERADE and Shrivenham Index. Background information on the nuclear and missile crisis
Weapons guides
News
Blogs Documents
United Nations Resolution and DPRK Response
European Union Security and Defence Policy
The site is divided into five main sections which can be browsed: ESDP News, EU Operations, European Security Strategy, Capabilities, and ESDP Structures. ESDP News This contains current headlines as well as a news story archive to 1999, tje ESDP newsletter and reports. EU Operations This section provides legal documents, press releases, fact sheets, audiovisual galleries and web links to EU police and military stability operations in the Western Balkans, South Caucasus, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa. European Security Strategy This contains the full text 'A Secure Europe in a Better World: The European Security Strategy' published in December 2003. There are also documents, EU Council conclusions, factsheets and operation details on ESDP peace and security support operations in Africa. Capabilities The focus of this area is EU military cooperation and the development of joint and combined military capabilities and a common security policy. It provides full text policy documents including the Helsinki Headline Goal and the European Capability Action Plan. This section also covers civilian crisis management and the EU's emergency and crisis response capabilities. ESDP Structures This section provides details of EU permanent military and political structures; the political and security committee, the European Union Military Committee, and the European Union Military Staff. There are also key documents and information on financing mechanisms, exercises and EU - NATO cooperation. The site is designed for browsing although there is a search facility which covers the whole of the Council of the European Union web site. It is also available in all the languages of all the EU countries. This period in history 10 years ago 19th August 1996 - Data sent back by the Galileo space
probe indicated there may be water on one of Jupiter's moons. 20 years ago 5th September 1986 - Pan Am Flight 73 with 358 people on board is hijacked at Karachi International Airport by four armed men of the Abu Nidal organization. 30 years ago 2nd July 1976 - North Vietnam and South Vietnam unite to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. July - September 1976 - The Viking Program unmanned
spacecraft, which had been launched the previous year, successfully arrive at
Mars. On 20th July, Viking 1 lands on Mars and NASA releases the famous Face on
Mars photo 11 days later. On 3rd September, Viking 2 lands and takes the first
close-up, colour photos of the planet's surface. 40 years ago 2nd June 1966 - As part of the Surveyor Program,
Surveyor 1 lands on the moon, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to soft land
on an extraterrestrial body. 20th June 1966 - Sheila Scott lands at London (Heathrow) Airport, the first British woman to complete a solo round-the-world flight. She also establishes a new record for women of 33 days 3 minutes. 29th June 1966 - In the Vietnam War, U.S. planes begin
bombing Hanoi and Haiphong 18th July 1966 - Gemini 10 (officially
Gemini X) lifts off for earth orbit with astronauts John Young and Michael
Collins, setting a world altitude record of 474 miles. 50 years ago 13th June 1956 - The UK completes withdrawal of its troops from Egypt, transferring them to Cyprus and ending 74 years of British military presence in Egypt. 30th June 1956 - A TWA Lockheed Constellation and United Airlines Douglas DC-7 collide in mid-air over the Grand Canyon in Arizona and crash. All 128 people aboard the two aircraft are killed in the disaster. The accident prompts tighter air traffic control to be implemented in the United States. 60 years ago 24th July 1946 - Bernard Lynch makes the
first recorded manned ejection from an aircraft, a Gloster Meteor on the
ground, by means of a Martin-Baker ejection seat. (It is reported that
ejections were made from German jet aircraft during the Second World War).
25th July 1946 - In the first underwater test of the atomic bomb, the United States detonates the "Baker Day" device and sinks the surplus USS Saratoga near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. 90 years ago July - November 1916 - More than one
million soldiers die during The Battle of the Somme including 60,000 soldiers
from the British Commonwealth on the first day. This article has been written using information taken from Wikipedia and 'The aerospace chronology' by Michael J.H. Taylor. (London: Tri-Service Press, 1989.) Recent AERADE news features You may have noticed the news feature at the bottom of the AERADE home page. We aim keep it continually updated with links to major news stories and to significant reports that have recently been published in the fields of aerospace and defence. In case you missed them, we are repeating some of the main news we have featured in the past quarter. Consultation on enforcement of information provisions of EU air carrier identity The UK Department for Transport is seeking the views of the air transport and travel industry on how to enforce, in the UK, EU requirements that air passengers should be informed of the identity of their air carrier and of any changes to that carrier which occur after booking. The closing date for responses is 20th October. Joint review teams publish reports on the UK General Aviation industry Two reports published on 20th July provide a comprehensive picture of the current state of the UK's General Aviation (GA) sector and make a series of recommendations aimed at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Government and the GA sector itself. Airports review - policy update A policy document has been produced as part of the price control review of BAA's designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted), which is leading towards new price controls being set in early 2008 for the five years starting April 2008. This document summarises responses to the CAA's first major consultation on the review (pdf: whole document, executive summary), launched in December 2005, and provides an update on the CAA's policy thinking which will shape its forthcoming initial price control proposals, to be issued in September. The document also sets out the CAA's views on the implications for the future financing of airports, in the context of the proposed acquisition of BAA pl. CAA has issued a statement on its timetable for the review LACC Stansted has responded to the document BAA has responded to the document
European defence equipment market A new era for defence procurement in the European Union began on 1st July with the introduction of a regime designed to increase transparency and competition in the European defence equipment market, offer armed forces and taxpayers better value for money, broaden business opportunities for defence companies and strengthen the global competitiveness of the European industry. Read more... MOD procurement shakeup MOD Announcement: On 3rd July the Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, announced that the DLO and DPA are to merge in an acquisition shake up to ensure the UK's Armed Forces get the best equipment at the right price. Read more... Eurocontrol UK flight plan data (as released to the Council of Europe) On 7th April the Government published flight plan data received from Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, concerning the movement of certain US aircraft into or out of UK aerodromes since 1st January 2001. This data had previously been released by Eurocontrol to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to assist with its enquiry into allegations of "extraordinary rendition" flights operating within Europe. Greek and Turkish jets collide over Aegean sea A Greek and a Turkish fighter jet collided in midair above the southern Aegean island of Karpathos on 23rd May, a Greek defence ministry official said. |
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