back to article Auditors slam MoD over failure to keep track of radios

Government auditors have accused military planners of running wasteful and inefficient systems that have cost taxpayers millions. A report from the National Audit Office said the Ministry of Defence was unable to account for £155m earmarked for a radio communications system for British troop in Afghanistan. MoD officials told …

COMMENTS

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  1. Adam 52 Silver badge

    beancounters

    So, in summary, soldiers are too busy attempting to stay alive to fill in the correct forms.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bowman...

    ..still causing pain and anguish for the MoD.

    Nice to know some things never change.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    They have got to be kidding

    "This is an asset tracking issue and does not mean equipment is missing,"

    You can't track an asset ... ie. it is missing.

    If I wasn't currently reading, "Perverting the course of Justice," I might actually have given the statement the benefit of the doubt; but now it stands no chance. Sack the pratt.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmmm...yeah.

    <quote>MoD officials told the BBC that although records might be deficient, it didn't mean that secure Bowman radios were missing and hadn't reached troops in Afghanistan.</quote>

  5. Richard 81

    If it's being done right

    ...it's not being done by the army.

    Time to ask the quartermasters a few questions.

  6. lukewarmdog
    Black Helicopters

    wrong tree

    Why not just criticise them for fighting a war in a foreign country that isn't fully supported by the British people and have done with it. Everything else surely naturally follows.

    Slightly more seriously, this just sounds like when your parents tell you off for not washing the pots or emptying the bins or for leaving your clothes all over your room. If they're that bothered, go in and replace the accounting department, head over to Afghanistan and do a proper stock count.

  7. Christoph
    FAIL

    Bowman

    So we can trace the bowmen of Agincourt but not the Bowman radios of Afghanistan.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8160081.stm

  8. James Pickett
    FAIL

    Missing where?

    "This is an asset tracking issue and does not mean equipment is missing,"

    Or in the hands of the enemy? Have they tried CQ'ing them?

    Perhaps the administrators should be made to swap roles with the squaddies for a few weeks - it might give them some perspective. Those that survived, that is...

  9. Steven 23
    Happy

    5quid says...

    ...those missing radios are on ebay.

  10. Graham 25
    Thumb Down

    same old story ...

    They aren't lost but we just don't know where they are ..... yeah, right

  11. Mage Silver badge
    Grenade

    Bowman

    People might want S/H Clansman.

    But Bowman is rubbish. You'd have to pay any self respecting tech thief to steal it.

    The soldiers use Mobile phones instead.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Badgers

    Bowman

    "But Bowman is rubbish." - of course it is the MoD have had it under development *for 20 years* (I kid you not).

  13. Zargof

    Missing?

    I think there would be quite a few soldiers that would be happy if 100% of Bowman equipment went "missing". It would mean they wouldn't have to carry round an extra 20+ lbs of deadweight and they could just stick to using their mobiles.

    BOWMAN = Better Off With Map And Nokia.

  14. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    FAIL

    RFID for asset tracking?

    It's only got a range of 10cm

    Its completely secure.

    Johnny foreigner will never have any idea of how to detect them in the field*

    *Some of these statements are inaccurate.

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