Further supplementary memorandum from the Ministry of Defence
(i) The latest
position regarding the deficit in UAV operators in the Army (and
the Royal Navy and RAF if deficits also exist) (Q 21)
The Army's UAV operators are provided by 32
Regiment Royal Artillery.[14]
The state of manning at any one time only provides a snapshot
of a naturally fluid picture. At present, there is a recognised
shortfall among trained senior UAV tradesmen (NCOs). Against the
previous Phoenix-based establishment, the shortfall of trained
senior operators was around 38%. These individuals do not necessarily
operate the UAV directly but are responsible for managing their
operation. For current operations, using the Hermes 450 system,
there is currently no shortfall of qualified personnel (helped
partly by the reduced demand for senior operators). The manning
establishment of the Regiment has recently been increased in preparation
for the entry into service of the Watchkeeper UAV system which
is planned to begin towards the end of 2010. If measured against
this new establishment, the senior operator shortfall based on
current manning levels would be around 70%. Over the next two
years the Army will address this situation through normal manning
processes, such as extra training courses and transferring personnel
from trades where manning levels have been reduced to ensure that
the new establishment is met. This is not an unusual situation
as an establishment must be changed before extra personnel can
be posted to a unit. If necessary, a range of extra measures,
including Financial Retention Incentives (FRI), may be used to
aid in recruitment and retention (FRI for qualified UAV operators
employed in 2007-08 was very successful; it achieved 100% take
up rate and guaranteed a three year return of service).
RAF manning for UAV operations is currently
broadly in balance. There is no current requirement for UAV operators
in the Royal Navy. 15
Overall, there is sufficient trained manpower
to meet current operational requirements, albeit this has required,
as elsewhere, a rebalancing of priorities and breaking harmony
guidelines for some individuals.
(ii) Which branches of the Army personnel
have transferred from to become UAV operators (Q 22)
Personnel from a broad range of other arms and
trades across the Army have transferred into the UAV operator
trade, moving in at the appropriate level. There has been no particular
preponderance of any one arm or trade.
(iii) The latest position regarding deficits
in analysts (in each of the three Services) and the initiatives
in place to address the deficits (Qq 32-35)
The increased use of Full Motion Video (FMV)
and the introduction of new collection assets mean that the requirement
for analysis across Defence is increasing. This has a consequential
effect on the quantity and type of analysts needed. The shift
in emphasis is being taken into account in, for example, the reprioritisation
of work.
There is currently a shortfall of around 18%
in imagery analysts within the RAF and in the short term this
is being addressed through management of training, including the
introduction of a new basic course on FMV. For the longer term,
the position will continue to be monitored and the Department
is developing an overall strategy to make better use of this scarce
resource, including work to understand better the recruitment
and retention issues and whether the training course structure
is right. A recruitment strategy is already being implemented
although owing to the training profile this is not expected to
provide additional image analysts for around two years. Manning
in the other Services is broadly in balance.
Overall, there is sufficient trained manpower
(with use of reserves) to meet current operational requirements
but, as in other areas there has been a need to rebalance priorities.
(iv) The difference between a restricted
area (temporary) and a temporary segregated airspace (Qq 81-82)
The definitions of a "Restricted Area (Temporary)"
and "Temporary Segregated Airspace"are given below:
Restricted Area (Temporary). A Restricted Area
is airspace of defined dimensions within which the flight of aircraft
is restricted in accordance with certain specified conditions.
Restricted Areas established under the regulations contained in
the Air Navigation Order may be temporary or permanent; in case
of temporary airspace they are designated as Restricted Area (Temporary)
or RA(T).
Temporary Segregated Airspace (TSA). TSA is
airspace of defined dimensions which is reserved for the exclusive
use of specific users during a determined period of time. TSAs
were envisaged as being part of the flexible use of airspace (FUA)
concept. However, the full introduction of this will be delayed
until International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and European
Civil Aviation Community (ECAC) terminology have been aligned.
Proposals for the ICAO definition of TSA include the statement
"through which other traffic will not be allowed to transit",
which effectively removes the flexibility of allowing operators
to `share' the airspace when other planned activities are not
taking place. There is currently no existing definition for `segregated
airspace' within EUROCONTROL or ICAO.
Comparison of these definitions indicates that
the differences are:
— A RA(T) is an extant CAA regulation
that is in use today, but a TSA is a new regulation that has yet
to be implemented.
— A RA(T) allows aircraft of all
types to use the airspace in accordance with the specified conditions,
whereas TSA reserves the airspace for the exclusive use of a certain
user.
(v) Details of who is responsible if a UAV
falls out of the sky and causes injury or death (Qq 89-91)
When compensation claims are received they are
considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence
has a legal liability to pay compensation. Where there is a proven
legal liability, compensation is paid. It therefore follows that
the Ministry of Defence would compensate anyone suffering a loss
in the event of a UAV accident that was caused by the Department's
negligence.
2 June 2008
15 The Royal Navy has provided operating personnel
as part of the UK contribution to US-UK Combined Joint PREDATOR
Task Force.
14 Currently, 47 Regiment Royal Artillery is being
temporarily re-roled, a battery at a time dependent on the operational
requirement, from close air defence to operate the Desert Hawk
mini UAV on current operations. Back
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