Recruitment not the only problem with AFM (2)

Fleur Camilleri wrote that the authorities seem oblivious to the AFM's needs. She refers to the 1997 White Paper drafted by Martin Scicluna on "The Modernisation of the AFM". Although Mr Scicluna had come up with some solutions, his work was a weak attempt and it lacked the depth, vision and creativity to transform the AFM into a truly modern force capable of meeting its objectives and duties. Very little of it ever materialised.

According to the White Paper, the AFM establishment should be in the region of about 2,200 uniformed and about 100 civilian personnel. I would tend to believe that the AFM would need a minimum of about 2,800 to carry out its duties effectively and efficiently.

The current complement is about 1,600, which means that the AFM is missing a whole battalion! The end result of the thinly spread manpower level is low morale among officers and other ranks. Training programmes with soldiers compelled to guard illegal immigrants are also suffering.

How can Government allow this glaring gap in resources? I do not think that finances are the real problem (at least half of the wages paid to 600 additional soldiers may be easily financed from funds currently being dispensed as social assistance and unemployment benefits to persons registering as unemployed). The problem is lethargy and sheer incompetence at the higher levels of government.

Manpower shortage is not the only problem afflicting the AFM. Our soldiers are desperately short of modern equipment. Standardisation remains a dream, achieved only in little part with the generous donation of low rate rifles, probably incompatible with NATO standards, from China.

The only major units to benefit from some modern equipment are the Maritime Squadron with two "Protector" Class patrol boats donated by the US, plus a larger offshore patrol boat being built in Italy under the Fifth Italian Protocol, and the Engineer Squadron which benefits from modern equipment "donated" by the Italian Military Mission in Malta.

After the end of the Cold War, most European armed forces drastically reduced their complements so there is a mountain of surplus - but valid - equipment readily accessible at bargain prices, if not outright donations. What is the government waiting for to acquire some of this equipment? And what happened to the "twin-engine" helicopters promised by the former US ambassador Anthony Gioia at the end of his term?

The pitiful state of our armed forces is also highlighted by the lack of a reserve component. It has been reported that the AFM are to deploy its reserves to assist in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. The total number of reserves currently stands at 35 - one troop of anti-aircraft gunners! When the Malta Land Force passed under the responsibility of the Maltese Government 35 years ago, it could rely on a reserve component made up of a full infantry battalion and a full anti-aircraft regiment, more than 1,000 strong.

One last point. The AFM desperately needs at least one large offshore patrol vessel to police the massive sea approaches, to protect fishery and to enable long-range search and rescue operations. The ideal ship would be Sea Malta's MV Zebbug. With the planned sale of Sea Malta to foreign shareholders owning a large fleet of ships, the commercial future of this vessel is in doubt.

Yet, if Government bought the ship for its book value (reportedly around Lm100,000) it could be given a second lease of life through a modest refit at Malta Shipyards. Its size and displacement is ideal for conversion into a sea control and logistic support vessel given that it has a large open main deck capable of landing three Alouette III size helicopters and stowing them in its garage deck.

The ship could be also equipped with accommodation for one company-sized detachment with all its vehicles, stores and equipment to support European Union rapid deployment overseas, a clinic for first aid recovery, and disaster support equipment like oil spillage control.