The National Audit Office’s (NAO) Major Projects Report (MPR) for 2012 strikes an oddly jarring note with the recent “good news” stories emanating from the MOD. The budget has been balanced and the previous rogue Equipment Plan has allegedly been brought under control. And yet this year’s MPR sounds ominously like many of its forebears with stories of cost over-runs and delayed projects. This is due in part to the nature of defence projects, many of which have long gestation periods, reports Nick Watts of Great North News Services.

A well known figure on the UK defence scene is leaving SBAC and moving to AirTanker as Corporate Communications Manager.In recent days Mary Ann Griffiths has been seconded to the MOD-industry Joint Communications Group, but is now returning to industry as part of the AirTanker programme as it (literally) takes off.