Post-11 September Operations

8. In response to the terrorist atrocities of 11 September 2001, the UK identified four main goals in its campaign against international terrorism (known as Operation VERITAS): deny Al Qaida its Afghan base, deny them an alternative base outside Afghanistan, attack Al Qaida internationally, and support other states in their efforts against Al Qaida. 

9. The UK was involved alongside US forces from the outset. Royal Navy submarines fired Tomahawk missiles against the Taleban and Al Qaida networks, and Royal Air Force aircraft provided reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling capabilities in support of US strike aircraft. The US flew missions from their base on Diego Garcia, part of British Indian Ocean Territory. 

10. UK troops were first deployed in November 2001, when Royal Marines from 40 Commando helped to secure the airfield at Bagram. A 1,700-strong battle group, based around Royal Marines from 45 Commando, was subsequently deployed as Task Force JACANA. Their role was to deny and destroy terrorist infrastructure and interdict the movement of Al Qaida in eastern Afghanistan. 

11. In several major operations the Task Force destroyed a number of bunkers and caves, two mortar systems, 440 rocket systems and over 45,000 rounds of munitions. JACANA also provided humanitarian assistance in areas previously dominated by the Taleban and Al Qaida. Task Force JACANA withdrew from Afghanistan in July 2002. 

British troops disembark from a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan.

12. The UK led, and made a substantial contribution to, the International Security Assistance Force from its inception in December 2001 to June 2002 (when leadership passed to Turkey). 400 UK troops remain committed to this Force, down from a peak of 2,100, which is helping the Afghan Transitional Authority to maintain security and stability in Kabul. It has also played an important role in restructuring the Afghan Armed Forces, through the training of the first Battalion of the Afghan National Guard. The International Security Assistance Force also advised on security arrangements for the Loya Jirga (or 'Grand Council'). 

13. Since December 2001, the Royal Navy has undertaken patrols in the Arabian Sea to deter, and if necessary intercept, attempts by Al Qaida/Taleban personnel to flee Afghanistan and establish new bases in the Horn of Africa or elsewhere. These patrols, which previously included the helicopter-carrier HMS OCEAN, have also conducted valuable intelligence gathering tasks. 

Peace Support and Humanitarian Operations

14. Regular and reserve UK forces continued to play a key role in the Kosovo Force, with some 3,400 troops deployed. The UK remained the lead nation in Multi-National Brigade (Centre), operating principally with troops from Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Czech Republic. 

15. The Kosovo Force's main task was to provide a safe and secure environment, and its troops undertook operations ranging from regular patrols to guarding important sites. UK forces played a prominent role in seizing illegal weapons and apprehending extremists. Together with police from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UK forces also tackled the links between organised crime and ethnic extremism, which persist as the most serious immediate threat to security in Kosovo. 

16. The UK contributed some 1,800 troops to the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia, operating in Multi-National Division South West. The UK shares rotational command of this Division with Canada and the Netherlands. 

17. Assistance to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia remained an integral part of the Stabilisation Force's mission. This support ranged from the provision of information to assist investigations, to the detention of people indicted for war crimes. By the end of March 2002 the Stabilisation Force had conducted 26 detention operations, 14 of which involved UK forces. Slobodan Milosevic was transferred to The Hague in June 2001 and is currently on trial at the Tribunal. 

18. The Balkans Joint Operational Area Review, completed by NATO in March 2002, outlined the scope for adopting a regional approach to peace support and humanitarian operations in the Balkans. This would potentially allow a reduction in the overall number of coalition forces deployed, and the UK is developing its future Balkan force posture accordingly. 

19. In August 2001, the UK led Operation ESSENTIAL HARVEST in Macedonia. The UK contribution was around 2,000 troops (1,800 deployed from the UK, and the remainder re-deployed from Kosovo). The operation was a success, with some 3,800 weapons voluntarily surrendered by the National Liberation Army. UK forces were withdrawn by mid-October 2001. 

20. UK forces continued to play an important role in bringing peace and security to Sierra Leone. The war was formally declared over in January 2002 and peaceful democratic elections were held in May. The UK-led International Military Advisory and Training Team made good progress in developing a professional and democratically accountable Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, under a fully functioning MOD. Basic training for around 10,000 of these soldiers was provided by short term UK training teams, and a UK programme to equip the Armed Forces continued throughout the year. 

21. UK troops also assisted with the Government of Sierra Leone's Military Reintegration Programme for some 2,200 disarmed and demobilised former rebel and militia combatants who sought to join the regular Armed Forces. In addition, the UK provided seven headquarters staff officers, including the Chief of Staff, and 15 military observers to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone. 

22. The UK also committed five staff officers to the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic
of Congo, and provided military observers in support of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor. 

23. Royal Air Force aircraft sustained humanitarian patrols of the No-Fly Zones in
Iraq, in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, which called upon Saddam Hussein to cease his suppression of Kurds in the north and Shias in the south. In the north, the UK contribution consisted of four Jaguar reconnaissance aircraft supported by VC10 tanker aircraft based in Turkey. In the south, UK assets included detachments of Tornado and VC10 tanker aircraft based in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. Iraqi forces continued to target UK aircraft carrying out this humanitarian mission, and UK aircrew legitimately responded in self-defence. 

24. Throughout the year, Royal Navy ships contributed to the maintenance of effective multi-national embargo operations in the Gulf region. Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft provided periodic support to all of these Gulf operations. 

Military Aid to the Civil Authorities – Foot and Mouth

25. Armed Forces support in managing the foot and mouth epidemic was requested in the middle of March 2001. By the beginning of April, military involvement in the crisis had steadily increased to include the deployment of around 1,000 personnel drawn from all three Services including the Reserves. The numbers deployed reached a peak of over 2,000 personnel by the middle of the month but reduced over the summer, as new outbreaks of the disease declined. Subsequent analysis concluded that this military assistance was crucial in bringing the disease under control and so returning the countryside to normal. The MOD also contributed, along with other government Departments, to the independent lessons learned inquiry into the management of the outbreak. 

Military Aid to the Civil Authorities – Counter Terrorism

26. The MOD provided direct support to the Home Office and police on counter terrorist activities following the events of 11 September, demonstrating the ability of UK forces to act decisively and quickly when called upon. This included the deployment of high readiness units and improvements to inter-Departmental mechanisms for responding to terrorist threats, such as packages suspected of containing biological materials. These efforts contributed to the emergency services' effective response to the anthrax scare in October and November 2001. 

Figure 2: Principle Deployments of the Armed Forces, on 31 March 2002

27. The MOD also provided training support to the emergency services, focusing on the response to Nuclear, Biological and Chemical incidents, and assisted in the formation of the Home Office Police Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Training Unit. The latter is co-located with the Defence Nuclear Biological and Chemical Centre at Winterbourne Gunner. In December 2001, the Armed Forces helped the Metropolitan Police to investigate and seize a cargo vessel in the English Channel suspected of carrying biological material. 

Other Military Aid to the Civil Authorities

28. The Armed Forces made available to the civil authorities, on request and when operational commitments allowed, significant resources throughout the year. Explosive Ordnance Disposal units responded to a large number of requests from the police, especially following 11 September. The Armed Forces also assisted the police in other ways on many occasions, for example in the search for missing children. Over 500 personnel were deployed from all three Services to provide emergency cover during a fire brigade strike in Merseyside in July. 

Military Aid to the Civil Power in Northern Ireland

29. The Armed Forces continued to play a significant role in maintaining law and order in Northern Ireland. Military patrols supported the police in searching for and capturing terrorists, their weapons and other equipment, and in dealing with serious public disorder. In 2001/02, the ongoing dissident threat and violence in Belfast presented particular challenges. The total number of Service personnel committed to Northern Ireland reduced from 15,024 on 1 April 2001 to 14,584 by 31 March 2002. The transition from RUC to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as a result of the implementation of the Patten Report presented new challenges and opportunities. 

Counter-Drugs Operations

30. Despite the pressure of other operational commitments, Royal Navy ships continued to undertake patrols and joint operations in the Caribbean with US Coast Guard and drug enforcement agencies. One such operation saw the seizure of drugs valued at around £40M. This seizure, and the continuing Royal Navy presence, is a significant deterrent to drug traffickers. Assistance was also provided to anti-narcotics agencies elsewhere in the world. 

Independent Nuclear Deterrent

31. During 2001/02, the UK's Trident submarine force maintained at sea a nuclear capability in support of NATO's strategy of war prevention and as the ultimate guarantee of national security. 

Military Search and Rescue in Peacetime

32. The Armed Forces maintain a year-round, 24-hour search and rescue service based at 8 locations around the British Isles, typically at 15 minutes readiness. Together with other Service assets, including the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service and Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, they were called out on 1,791 occasions in 2001/02 (compared to 1,980 in 2000/01) and assisted a total of 1,205 people; of these, 47 were military personnel. Of particular note was the rescue of 18 crewmembers from a sinking fishing vessel at the extreme operating range of the helicopter – 240 miles off the west coast of Scotland. 

Security of the Overseas Territories

33. British Forces Falkland Islands continued to demonstrate the Government's commitment to the security of the Falklands Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The small permanent military detachment on South Georgia was withdrawn at the end of 2000/01. 

34. British Forces Gibraltar demonstrated the Government's commitment to the security of the territory. Gibraltar retained its importance as an overseas base for the British Armed Forces, providing valuable support, logistic, communications and training facilities. 

35. British Forces Cyprus maintained
important UK military facilities within the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. 

Activity Levels of the Armed Forces

36. Activity levels peaked in autumn 2001, when some 23% of the Armed Forces' total trained strength was deployed on operations and other Military Tasks, reflecting participation in post-11 September operations and Exercise SAIF SAREEA II. A detailed breakdown of activity levels during 2001/02 is shown in Table 1. The Royal Air Force flew a total of 42,883 operational hours in 2001/02, a significant increase on the previous year.

Table 1: Percentage of Trained Strength Deployed on Operations and other Military Tasks, 2001/02 [1]

	Quarter 1	Quarter 2	Quarter 3	Quarter 4
Royal Navy and Marines	9.5%	8.4%	16.7%	15.7%
Army	21.8%	25.6%	26.3%	23.9%
Royal Air Force	11.9%	12.7%	16.7%	13.1%

Notes: [1] Includes those Service personnel deployed on Exercise SAIF SAREEA II, but excludes those either preparing for, or recovering from, deployments on operations and other Military Tasks. Percentages shown are quarterly averages.