Military chiefs told to cut more deeply

DEFENCE Secretary Liam Fox has ordered military chiefs to think more innovatively about how to cut the cost of the security and war machine.

He has extended the deadline for the strategic defence review, which will redefine the shape of the military in the post-Cold War environment, to give advisers time to devise more radical proposals.

The Evening Standard understands that Dr Fox was not satisfied with what was being proposed by civil servants at the Ministry of Defence.

The defence review was due to be completed by the end of September and delivered to Parliament by November. The conclusions will now be published in a White Paper "by the end of the year".

The senior team had revealed a general cut across the board of 20 per cent to be borne by all three services, with only the Trident nuclear missiles an exception.

But in a speech this week, Dr Fox vowed to end the "salami-slicing approach" of Labour and added: "Change is not an option, it is a necessity."

Each of the services had been asked to give up one major capability.
The RAF had offered up maritime patrol services by Nimrod aircraft and the Navy was preparing to give up a capability of amphibious operations. The Army was looking at either sacrificing all its presence in Germany or slashing reserves, including the Territorial Army.