U.K. MoD Cancels Soothsayer

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Technical delays and budget cutbacks have led the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) to cancel the GBP202 million (US$276 million) Soothsayer joint electronic surveillance system, being run by U.S. prime Lockheed Martin.

The decision was part of the U.K. MoD 2009 spending review, which concluded in April, and potentially leaves the British Army and Royal Marines with a major capability gap unless a replacement programme can be launched.

Soothsayer was severely criticised in last December’s Major Project Report from the UK National Audit Office (NAO), which stated that it was GBP52 million over budget and two years late. In the year 2007-8 costs alone increased by GBP7 million and the 16-month delay occurred because “sensor development and platform integration (was) delayed due to technical issues.”

The first Soothsayer system was due to be delivered to the Royal Marines next month. It is now expected that the Thales Odette system currently used by the Royal Marines and the Thales INCE (Interim Non-Communications ESM) system used by 14 Regiment Royal Signals will have to remain in service for several more years.

It now seems likely that the MoD will opt either for spiral development of the current in-service equipment or try to secure urgent operational requirement (UOR) funding to make off-the-shelf purchases.

Contributor: Defence IQ

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