Communication for the MOD has always been complex and multi-faceted and, as an organisation, they face unique challenges in putting across clear messages. A single voice must present itself to the defence industry, understand complicated technology, be genuine and relatable to military service persons and their families and also communicate with the wider domestic and global community on sensitive issues and events.

The MOD are due high praise for facing this intricate task head on and engaging with social media.

Online media tools with instant, far-reaching delivery capabilities seem like the perfect fit for the MOD, since being able to articulate and disseminate time-sensitive information is vital to the UK defence industry. 

Today, not only have the UK’s defence websites been streamlined, MOD campaigns have also become award-winning projects.

In March of this year the MOD scooped a prize from an internationally recognised media body for their social media educational campaign which was aimed at warning the defence community about the importance of safeguarding personal information.

The International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) Awards honoured the MOD campaign with a Gold Award for Best Public Relations for the ‘Think Before You… Share’ campaign.

The campaign was produced by the Directorate of Media and Communications (DMC) together with CTN Communications.

The campaign offers guidance for personnel using social media sites including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and warns users about the risks of accidentally releasing too much information about themselves. The campaign also warned against releasing other operational details such as posting details and locations of troop movements and operational events, locations and travel details of ships or aircraft as well as people’s home addresses.

The guidance is incorporated into Phase 1 training when new recruits first join the Service and also into other mandated training materials for serving personnel.

There was also further success at the awards with the ‘Don’t Bottle It Up’ campaign, which encourages Armed Forces personnel to talk more about their problems and which won the Silver Award in the same category.

DMC Head of Online Engagement Pippa Norris, who collected the Award, said: “We are thrilled to receive this award because it demonstrates two very important things.

“Firstly, the security of our people is of utmost importance, and secondly, that social media is not something to be demonised but to be used safely and responsibly.

“We want everyone to enjoy and make the most out of social media in the widest possible sense. Hence we want them to apply common sense and to ‘Think before they Share’ online.

“To be able to work on such a fun campaign with colleagues from other parts of defence (with whom we rarely have any contact) proves that we can deliver highly effective and engaging campaigns that we can all be proud of.”

With this kind of digital-friendly attitude towards social media, Britain’s Armed Forces are set to continue to lead the way for online engagement.

The Chancellor has dedicated £60 million towards developing a new aerospace centre across several sites in Britain as part of his Budget for 2012.

The UK Centre for Aerodynamics will facilitate virtual and practical aerodynamics research, testing and design work, supported by a cash injection of £50 million in resource funding for delivering research.

The centre’s research is a positive step toward de-risking radical new concepts in wing design and helping to deliver sustainable aviation by supporting the development of new technologies and more environmentally friendly aircraft.

This initiative is the first output from the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP) work, which identified how such a centre could increase UK competitiveness. The AGP is jointly chaired by Mark Prisk MP, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, and Marcus Bryson, Chair of ADS’s Civil Air Transport Board and CEO of GKN Aerospace.

Graham Chisnall, Deputy CEO of ADS, said: “Future market predictions suggest that the aerospace market could be worth £352 billion for the UK between now and 2029 if it maintains its 17 per cent market share. With the announced investment, aerospace will contribute even more effectively to the Government’s Growth agenda, by increasing its current £23 billion contribution to the UK economy.”

It is clear that the UK aerospace industry has great potential, but is the Chancellor’s new move enough to keep the UK competitive in the global market?

SMEs are at the heart of the success of the British aerospace industry and Government support for their development is vital.

Mark Ridgway, Managing Director at Wakefield-based Group Rhodes and a private sector board member on Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, told the Yorkshire Post newspaper that the investment in the advanced manufacturing supply chain was welcome news for small businesses.

“The only way we can compete internationally as a company is by innovation and by developing products. Any investment by the Government in this area of improving aerospace technology and supporting the sector, which is the second largest sector in the world, only second to the US, has to be welcomed,” he told the paper.

While most are agreed the new UK Centre for Aerodynamics is an important and encouraging step towards future technological sustainability and securing the UK’s position in overseas markets, some still feel the Government is not investing enough when it comes to aerospace and science.

The Chancellor has also announced £100 million in funding to boost university research in the UK through private sector involvement.

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said the funds were welcome but no more than ‘green shoots’.

Sir Paul said: “In the UK, the Government and industry still invest a smaller percentage of our GDP in research and development than our competitor economies.”

“And while that remains the case, we will not fulfil the Chancellor’s goal of making the UK into Europe’s technology centre.

“If we want science to improve our situation, we must think bigger than our competitors in investing in the full range of science and innovation from discovery, through development and on to application.”

Imran Khan, the director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said the funding demonstrated that the Government understood the need for investment in research but that reversing cuts was not enough.

He said: “We need to be far more ambitious if we’re serious about having a high-tech future.”

The Director General of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, Wendy Piatt, said we should not forget that our international competitors are injecting vast amounts of cash into their universities, and our leading universities are already under-resourced in comparison.

George Osborne’s Budget for 2012 offers clear signs that the Government is beginning to take aerospace seriously once more after the previous dramatic cuts to the sector’s capital expenditure. but this should not be where such investments end.

The Government’s measures need to be more than gestures; they must become the stepping stone towards the real future development and growth of the UK as a world aerospace leader.

This means that cyber crime is considered to be as potentially dangerous as international terrorism, an international military crisis or a major accident or natural hazard requiring a national response.

To fight digital threats to security UK police have launched three new eCrime hubs in Yorkshire and the Humber, the Northwest and the East Midlands. Officer training for the hubs began this month.

A fund of £30 million has been granted by the Government to improve the police’s national capability to investigate and combat cyber crime.

ACPO lead on eCrime Deputy Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams said the hubs are expected to make a significant contribution to the national harm reduction target of £504 million.

The three new units will work alongside the Metropolitan Police Centre e-Crime Unit (PCeU) which was established in October 2008 as part of the National e-Crime Programme.

The PCeU is jointly fund by the Home Office and Metropolitan Police to provide a national investigative response to the most serious incidents of cyber crime including computer intrusion, distribution of malicious code, denial of service attack and internet-enabled fraud.

In September last year, 11 people were charged over online fraud allegations which saw £6 million stolen from bank accounts using virus software to access people’s internet banking log-in details from thousands of computers. They were held under the Computer Misuse Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Fraud Act.

James Brokenshire, Minister for Crime and Security, said: “Cyber crime is a threat locally and nationally, and every police force in the country has to deal with its impact on people and businesses in their area.

“As well as leading the fight in their regions, these units mark a significant step forward in developing a national response to cyber crime, which will be driven by the new National Crime Agency.”

Photo by Dafne Cholet

UK police are ushering in a new age of technology engagement. As previously highlighted on the DCI blog, police forces across Britain are developing and utilising a range of new software equipped to deal the challenges of 21st century law enforcement.

In order to save valuable man-hours, Kent Police are running a pilot scheme which will let officers enter stop and search information by radio instead of by hand.

The information which would traditionally have been written on forms and taken back to the station will now be recorded using the officer’s voice and then transcribed by a system and stored in a central database. Kent Police hope that reducing the amount of form filling officers need to do will mean more efficient stop and searches.

Nick Deyes, NPIA head of the Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS), said: “This new initiative will potentially transform stop and search recording by standardising the process across the police service, making it more efficient and less bureaucratic – improvements which would benefit both the police and the communities they serve.”

The new method will also make it possible to collate and publish data monthly rather than yearly. 

In Surrey, police are using a new camera system to share images with other crime agencies. A web-based CCTV image system called Jabbakam provides Surrey police with internet access to images in real time. They can then download the images to their desktops.

Previously, officers had to visit the physical cameras and download the images in order to view them. Now they can access them instantly using a secure system.

Police in Durham are planning to use social media to connect with people in their area via news reports from police on the beat. Working with web technology firm C2 Software, Durham police will be able to keep the public up to date in real time using specially designed Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and Youtube pages.

Superintendent Bill Dutton of Durham Constabulary said: “The new website will enable us to engage and work better with communities to understand their priorities and views. We’ll be able to feed back on the good work that the force is doing on a day by day basis, even in real time.”

People will also be able to access the sites using their Smartphones.

Fuel consumption is a top priority for our Armed Forces in the UK and work has begun to investigate how to meet demand without compromising performance. The environmental impact of the carbon emissions from our current fuel sources is also a high priority for the UK government.  The MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support agency invited contractors in February to put forward ideas for how remote bases could switch to renewable energy sources.

It is vital that militaries wean themselves off fossil fuel dependency to ensure high-quality running in the future.

The US Navy has taken a massive step towards the goal of relying on renewable energy by successfully concluding the largest demonstration of alternative fuel this month in California.

The US Department of Defense’s energy consumption alone tops all but 35 countries at 375,000 barrels of oil per day. The military also remains the single largest US consumer of energy.

Approximately 20,000 gallons of a 50-50 blend of algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76 were supplied to the Self Defense Test Ship on 17 November.

The success of the project was clear for Mike Wolfe, Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division underway project officer, who said there was no discernible difference in the ship’s operations compared to using traditional fuel. 

There are other benefits to using algae, such as a decrease in the need for vulnerable supply convoys which could be replaced by indigenous sources at home and abroad, allowing for more sustainable infrastructures. These alternative fuels could potentially create lighter and more fuel efficient forces.

Another breakthrough came in October when the US Navy flew their MQ-8B Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle on biofuel – a blend of JP-5 aviation fuel and plant-based camelinal.

This kind fuel of blend can cut carbon dioxide output by 75% when compared to conventional aviation fuel, according to the US Navy.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation also announced this month that all of its turbine-powered aircraft are approved to use biofuels.

If these kinds of fuels become the standard for military use, we could see their application in daily civilian life too in everything from solar-charged mobile phones to biofuel-powered cars.

Healthcare Reservist of the Year, Major Rob Dawes

When a soldier is injured on the front line the time it takes to cauterise bleeding and stabilise temperature can mean the difference between life and death. Thanks to the hard work of Reservist Major Robert Dawes a ground-breaking new wound dressing design is available to our Armed Forces facing conflict.

For introducing the revolutionary device in Afghanistan Maj Dawes has been named as Healthcare Reservist of the Year in the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Awards (MCHPA).

The army medic devoted hours of his spare time developing the Blizzard Heat Pack which helps to keep patients warm and prevent bleeding.

Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, Rt Hon Andrew Robathan, said:

“Thanks to the excellence of our people working in partnership, the quality of care available to our Armed Forces – from emergency life-saving procedures on operations to primary care at home and overseas – is quite remarkable. These awards are about honouring the best of the best, people who, often in the most demanding of circumstances, are delivering exceptional healthcare.”

Maj Dawes serves with 144 Parachute Regiment Medical Squadron (Volunteers) who are part of 16 Medical Regiment, based in Colchester and is an NHS trainee anaesthetist in Southampton in his civilian role.

He has also attended major overseas disasters, most recently in Haiti. In his spare time his military involvement includes two recent tours of Afghanistan, teaching on military courses and publishing articles on Anaesthesia and Battlefield Resuscitation.

The clinical pathways he has written and taught on military courses have directly saved lives, and his work has changed the way the military and the wider medical world look at difficult airway management.

Peter Luff, MP

UK Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff has highlighted adaptability as the crucial component in the future of infantry equipment.

When outlining his vision in a speech to the Modern Infantry Conference and Exhibition at Bisley in Surrey, Mr Luff spoke about creating a new structure for the Army with new equipment and a better way of acquiring and supporting that equipment.

He said: “In this volatile world, everyone in Defence – including the infantry – will need to be adaptable as the character of war continues to evolve.”

The Minister did not shy away from the problems of a difficult financial climate, saying the move forward from inheriting a ‘shockingly out of control Equipment Plan’ has not been ‘pain free’.

“If you want to equip and support them to a first-class standard – which it’s my job to do – then you need a force structure that’s fit for the 21st century and a defence programme which is affordable and sustainable.”

The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) has set out a vision for an adaptable future.

It is thought that by 2020 there will be a total trained Army of 112,000, consisting of 70% regular and 30% reserves. This will create a more integrated and robust contingent capability for the Army, who will also engage more broadly overseas in conflict prevention as well as relief operations.

The journey to an increase of 10,000 trained reservists and reduction in regular manpower is not without risks and challenges but is essential, Mr Luff said.

(c) MOD

A balanced but fluid forward programme is needed, he said, the delivery of which will be exercised through the Command Plan, binding the MOD’s acquisition organisation, DE&S, the Front Line Commands and the wider MOD into a contract.

On Defence Reform, Mr Luff said that the Service Chiefs now have the power to deliver and will be held rigorously to account for doing so.

Despite historic attitudes that frontline soldiers have not been well served by the government, Mr Luff said that today the view reported back to him from Afghanistan is that the British Infantryman has never been so well equipped, supported and protected.

He confirmed that new equipment arriving in theatre will have adaptability at its core, citing advancements in the Foxhound light protected patrol vehicle, 200 of which will be ready for deployment within months.

He concluded: “The Future Army Review will bring the clarity all of us need. And with this vision and clarity, I’m confident that equipping and supporting an adaptable Infantry will be within our reach, and at a price this country can afford.”

A new Emergency Response Vehicle is being launched by the Red Cross in the Scottish Borders.

Every year hundreds of families and individuals in the UK suffer damage to their homes following a major fire or flood and are in dire need of practical support.

Fire and Emergency Support Service (FESS) volunteers will be able to use a new purpose-built and specially equipped van to help people. The vehicle will provide immediate safe shelter, clothing, food and shower facilities for those in crisis circumstances.

Based at the Galashiels Fire Station, the van will be available for use all across the Borders region.

The FESS team work closely with local fire services across the UK and will also be on-hand at the scenes of major incidents within 90 minutes of a call-out. Having the FESS team on-site allows fire and rescue crews to focus on the immediate incident.

The first FESS unit was deployed in Edinburgh four years ago and has responded to 39 emergency situations this year.

The concept of facial recognition technology, whereby a computer can scan and analyse faces and recognise individuals, is fast becoming a familiar part of our everyday lives.

Social media giant Facebook rolled out their facial recognition software in December last year. The site automatically ‘suggests’ who the faces in uploaded photos belong to based on the photos it already has access to.

Now the Metropolitan Police – the territorial police force responsible for Greater London – plans to use facial recognition technology to fight crime.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe hopes the advances in technology will reduce crime and help rebuild the police’s relationship with the public.

Mr Hogan-Howe said: “There’s great technology out there that we’ve started to see on Facebook. On many other internet devices, facial recognition is growing rapidly. What we need to do is apply that technology to CCTV of criminals.”

His comments follow a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) by the force for a command and control solution. The nine-year framework agreement will include related software development, configuration and support services.

Photo by I See Modern Britain

The software will be expected to handle about six million annual incoming calls (emergency, non-emergency and internal), with a peak total of 2600 calls in a busy hour.

The OJEU notice could also include ‘other associated technologies, such as voice and CCTV communications, mobile in-car devices, mobile telemetry and call routing from the public network and the internal network, depending on the suitability of the technology choices, the deployment options and the contract terms’.

Similar facial recognition software has been implemented at Heathrow airport’s terminals one and five. Trials carried out by BAA and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) indicated that the technology can deliver an average verification time of 4.7 seconds.

Versions of facial recognition software have been around for about ten years, but previously not enough photos of individuals existed for the technology to be feasible for anti-crime use.

Today’s interactive media has changed all that: around 250 million pictures are uploaded to Facebook each day.

The FBI is also embracing biometrics and embarking on a nationwide face recognition service which will also allow local police to identify suspects. The move is part of a $1 billion overhaul of their existing fingerprint database.