Dr Andrew R Curtis OBE | King's College London (original) (raw)

Papers by Dr Andrew R Curtis OBE

Research paper thumbnail of List of Figures and Tables

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Roles, Missions and Tasks

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of The UK’s Approach to Strategy

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of Why Does the UK Have the Military Capability That It Has?

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Reviews

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Roles, Missions and Tasks

Understanding UK Military Capability

Who decides how to use the UK military budget and how can we be sure that the UK's armed forc... more Who decides how to use the UK military budget and how can we be sure that the UK's armed forces can meet the threats of tomorrow? This book provides the answers to these questions. Concentrating on decisions taken below the political level, it uncovers the factors that underpin the translation of strategic direction into military capability.

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Research paper thumbnail of The MoD and the Single Services

Bristol University Press eBooks, Nov 23, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of Understanding UK Military Capability

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Research paper thumbnail of The Affordability of Defence

Bristol University Press eBooks, Nov 23, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of The UK's Integrated Review - a return to the 'phoney war

The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop ... more The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop and improve its contribution to the Integrated Review.

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Research paper thumbnail of Is Defence's New Operating Model Fit for Purpose?

The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – ... more The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – its first update for almost five years. Given the major changes to Defence ways of working in that time, and the forthcoming Integrated Review’s potential for further disruption, is it, and how long will it remain, fit for purpose?

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Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Force 2030 - The New Force Structure

Every post-Cold War defence review has tried to change the structure of the UK Armed Forces. Asse... more Every post-Cold War defence review has tried to change the structure of the UK Armed Forces. Assessing the latest effort to develop the Integrated Force 2030 (IF2030), I argue that doubts remain over the sufficiency of resources and effectiveness of the processes that are required to achieve the new force structure: ‘while the Defence Command Paper confirms that the armed forces expect to make a decisive shift in their approach to warfare, it is far from clear that persisting with a decennial cycle is the best approach to delivering an optimal force structure. Nor is it obvious precisely what IF30 will be resourced to undertake.’ I also argue that, whilst the recent norm of reviewing the force structure every five years ‘may seem like a good idea, the reality is that each one ends up abandoned mid-creation. None is ever fully delivered.’ Without greater insight into the planning assumptions on which IF2030 is premised, ‘it is impossible to tell what the government expects to get for the money it is committing to the defence budget or, more importantly, whether more is being demanded of the armed forces then they are funded to do.’

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Support Strategy Final version

Defence Support is facing significant challenges. These include making good some considerable leg... more Defence Support is facing significant challenges. These include making good some considerable legacy support issues, implementing lessons identified from the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, and tackling outcomes from the Integrated Review. If left unaddressed, these problems will continue to expose Defence to the risk of lacking resilience, being inefficient and ineffective, and unable to match the capabilities of peer adversaries in the future. This paper explores these challenges, highlights the Ministry of Defence’s plans to overcome them, and discusses reasons why these plans may succeed and why they may fail.

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Research paper thumbnail of Is Defence's New Operating Model Fit for Purpose?

The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – ... more The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – its first update for almost five years. Given the major changes to Defence ways of working in that time, and the forthcoming Integrated Review’s potential for further disruption, is it, and how long will it remain, fit for purpose?

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Research paper thumbnail of Management of Defence After the Levene Reforms: What Comes Next?

Generated in part as a contribution to thinking for the Integrated Review, this paper builds on a... more Generated in part as a contribution to thinking for the Integrated Review, this paper builds on an analysis of almost a century of efforts to promote greater coordination among the individual services and identifies current weaknesses. It suggests reforms to drive greater cohesion in UK defence and to enable full exploitation of advances in the information domain.

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Research paper thumbnail of The UK's Integrated Review - a return to the 'phoney war'

The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop ... more The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop and improve its contribution to the Integrated Review.

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Research paper thumbnail of Planning for the next Strategic Defence and Security Review - a much needed peg in the ground

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Research paper thumbnail of Comment on Joint Forces Command to become Strategic Command

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Research paper thumbnail of Joint Force Logistics

The RUSI Journal, 2016

The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review envisages a return to contingency following more t... more The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review envisages a return to contingency following more than a decade of enduring operations in the Middle East, but little thought is given to what this will mean for joint logistics. In this article, Andrew Curtis argues that current arrangements do not produce a fit-for-purpose command-and-control capability, nor do they fulfil the requirement for integrated training of high-readiness logistics units. He instead proposes a combined-arms approach – overseen by the existing, dedicated standing logistics headquarters – to ensure the effective integration of joint logistics force elements in future operations.

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Research paper thumbnail of When is a Defence Review Not a Defence Review

The RUSI Journal, 2019

This article examines the impact of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR) and Modernisin... more This article examines the impact of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR) and Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) on the UK’s existing strategic defence and security process. Andrew Curtis assesses the appropriateness of conducting the NSCR and MDP discretely from the quinquennial Strategic Defence and Security Review process, and the consequences of undertaking them for defence reviews in the future.

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Research paper thumbnail of List of Figures and Tables

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Roles, Missions and Tasks

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of The UK’s Approach to Strategy

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Why Does the UK Have the Military Capability That It Has?

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

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Research paper thumbnail of Defence Reviews

Policy Press eBooks, Nov 22, 2022

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Defence Roles, Missions and Tasks

Understanding UK Military Capability

Who decides how to use the UK military budget and how can we be sure that the UK's armed forc... more Who decides how to use the UK military budget and how can we be sure that the UK's armed forces can meet the threats of tomorrow? This book provides the answers to these questions. Concentrating on decisions taken below the political level, it uncovers the factors that underpin the translation of strategic direction into military capability.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The MoD and the Single Services

Bristol University Press eBooks, Nov 23, 2022

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding UK Military Capability

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The Affordability of Defence

Bristol University Press eBooks, Nov 23, 2022

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The UK's Integrated Review - a return to the 'phoney war

The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop ... more The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop and improve its contribution to the Integrated Review.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Is Defence's New Operating Model Fit for Purpose?

The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – ... more The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – its first update for almost five years. Given the major changes to Defence ways of working in that time, and the forthcoming Integrated Review’s potential for further disruption, is it, and how long will it remain, fit for purpose?

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated Force 2030 - The New Force Structure

Every post-Cold War defence review has tried to change the structure of the UK Armed Forces. Asse... more Every post-Cold War defence review has tried to change the structure of the UK Armed Forces. Assessing the latest effort to develop the Integrated Force 2030 (IF2030), I argue that doubts remain over the sufficiency of resources and effectiveness of the processes that are required to achieve the new force structure: ‘while the Defence Command Paper confirms that the armed forces expect to make a decisive shift in their approach to warfare, it is far from clear that persisting with a decennial cycle is the best approach to delivering an optimal force structure. Nor is it obvious precisely what IF30 will be resourced to undertake.’ I also argue that, whilst the recent norm of reviewing the force structure every five years ‘may seem like a good idea, the reality is that each one ends up abandoned mid-creation. None is ever fully delivered.’ Without greater insight into the planning assumptions on which IF2030 is premised, ‘it is impossible to tell what the government expects to get for the money it is committing to the defence budget or, more importantly, whether more is being demanded of the armed forces then they are funded to do.’

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Defence Support Strategy Final version

Defence Support is facing significant challenges. These include making good some considerable leg... more Defence Support is facing significant challenges. These include making good some considerable legacy support issues, implementing lessons identified from the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, and tackling outcomes from the Integrated Review. If left unaddressed, these problems will continue to expose Defence to the risk of lacking resilience, being inefficient and ineffective, and unable to match the capabilities of peer adversaries in the future. This paper explores these challenges, highlights the Ministry of Defence’s plans to overcome them, and discusses reasons why these plans may succeed and why they may fail.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Is Defence's New Operating Model Fit for Purpose?

The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – ... more The Ministry of Defence has published a new version of its operating model – How Defence Works – its first update for almost five years. Given the major changes to Defence ways of working in that time, and the forthcoming Integrated Review’s potential for further disruption, is it, and how long will it remain, fit for purpose?

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Management of Defence After the Levene Reforms: What Comes Next?

Generated in part as a contribution to thinking for the Integrated Review, this paper builds on a... more Generated in part as a contribution to thinking for the Integrated Review, this paper builds on an analysis of almost a century of efforts to promote greater coordination among the individual services and identifies current weaknesses. It suggests reforms to drive greater cohesion in UK defence and to enable full exploitation of advances in the information domain.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The UK's Integrated Review - a return to the 'phoney war'

The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop ... more The return to the ‘phoney war’ provides the Ministry of Defence the ideal opportunity to develop and improve its contribution to the Integrated Review.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Planning for the next Strategic Defence and Security Review - a much needed peg in the ground

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Comment on Joint Forces Command to become Strategic Command

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Joint Force Logistics

The RUSI Journal, 2016

The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review envisages a return to contingency following more t... more The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review envisages a return to contingency following more than a decade of enduring operations in the Middle East, but little thought is given to what this will mean for joint logistics. In this article, Andrew Curtis argues that current arrangements do not produce a fit-for-purpose command-and-control capability, nor do they fulfil the requirement for integrated training of high-readiness logistics units. He instead proposes a combined-arms approach – overseen by the existing, dedicated standing logistics headquarters – to ensure the effective integration of joint logistics force elements in future operations.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of When is a Defence Review Not a Defence Review

The RUSI Journal, 2019

This article examines the impact of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR) and Modernisin... more This article examines the impact of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR) and Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) on the UK’s existing strategic defence and security process. Andrew Curtis assesses the appropriateness of conducting the NSCR and MDP discretely from the quinquennial Strategic Defence and Security Review process, and the consequences of undertaking them for defence reviews in the future.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Why does the UK have the Military that it has? An exploration of the factors relating to the translation of strategic direction into military capability

This thesis is an investigation of the factors relating to the translation of United Kingdom stra... more This thesis is an investigation of the factors relating to the translation of United Kingdom strategic direction into military capability. Concentrating on decisions taken below the political level, by the military officers and civil servants in the most senior positions within the Ministry of Defence and at the very top of the armed forces, it answers the question ‘why does the United Kingdom have the military that it has?’ In doing so, this thesis has identified the factors that have shaped capability choices and determined why those choices have had the effect that they have. Its analysis has drawn on historical trends and contemporary elite interviews to assess whether the nation’s current methodology to link strategic direction and the development and maintenance of military capability will fare any better than its predecessors.

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