Defence Export Services Organisation
Encyclopedia
The Defence Export Service Organisation (DESO) is a UK government department within the Ministry of Defence
which promotes arms exports by arms companies based in Britain.
The DESO has traditionally been headed by executives of defence companies who are officially seconded from their employer and continue to receive their salary. A third of the DESO's 500 staff are involved in support of the Al Yamamah
contracts with Saudi Arabia. DESO is involved in the Defence Systems & Equipment International exhibition.
Gordon Brown
announced on 26 July 2007 that DESO would be transferred to UK Trade & Investment
from April 2008, and will be called the UKTI Defence and Security Group. Nevertheless, the Al Yamamah
contracts will stay within the remit of the Ministry of Defence
, the Secretary of State for Defence
at the time. In January of that year he informed Parliament
that "while the Government attach[es] the highest importance to making progress in the field of arms control and disarmament, we must also take what practical steps we can to ensure that this country does not fail to secure its rightful share of this valuable commercial market." From being called the Defence Sales Organisation, in 1985 the organisation was re-named the Defence Export Services Organisation.
On 1 February 2007 it had 466 staff on its books. Nearly 400 are based in London
with another 100 located in offices in 17 countries worldwide, including 65 based in Saudi Arabia. The DESO also works with military attaché
s based in around 80 UK embassies when necessary.
), and Farnborough Airshow, which take place in alternate years. DESO is responsible for inviting the international military delegations to both of these events.
, Plaid Cymru
and the Green Party of England and Wales
as well as around 30 NGOs have signed a statement calling for DESO's closure. They allege that not enough concern is given to the impact of arms sales on human rights, development or conflict. For instance, in 2004, UK arms export licenses were granted to 13 of the 20 'major countries of concern' identified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
in its 2005 Human Rights Annual Report. (See Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Human Rights Annual Report 2005.)
In 2007, three campaigning groups - CAAT
, the SPEAK Network
and Fellowship of Reconciliation
- organised campaigns for DESO to be shut down. On July 26th, 2007, Gordon Brown announced that DESO would be closed.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
which promotes arms exports by arms companies based in Britain.
The DESO has traditionally been headed by executives of defence companies who are officially seconded from their employer and continue to receive their salary. A third of the DESO's 500 staff are involved in support of the Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah is the name of a series of a record arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to of crude oil per day to the UK government. The prime contractor has been BAE Systems and its predecessor British Aerospace...
contracts with Saudi Arabia. DESO is involved in the Defence Systems & Equipment International exhibition.
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
announced on 26 July 2007 that DESO would be transferred to UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is a UK Government department working with businesses based in the United Kingdom to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice ....
from April 2008, and will be called the UKTI Defence and Security Group. Nevertheless, the Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah
Al Yamamah is the name of a series of a record arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to of crude oil per day to the UK government. The prime contractor has been BAE Systems and its predecessor British Aerospace...
contracts will stay within the remit of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
History
The organisation was founded in 1966 by Denis HealeyDenis Healey
Denis Winston Healey, Baron Healey CH, MBE, PC is a British Labour politician, who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1964 to 1970 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979.-Early life:...
, the Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
at the time. In January of that year he informed Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
that "while the Government attach[es] the highest importance to making progress in the field of arms control and disarmament, we must also take what practical steps we can to ensure that this country does not fail to secure its rightful share of this valuable commercial market." From being called the Defence Sales Organisation, in 1985 the organisation was re-named the Defence Export Services Organisation.
Organisation
DESO had an overall operating budget for 2006/7 of £51.438 million, largely covered by income received from customer governments, leaving a residue of just under £16 million provided by the British Government. For 2006/2007 it identified its priority markets as Greece, India, Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the USA.On 1 February 2007 it had 466 staff on its books. Nearly 400 are based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with another 100 located in offices in 17 countries worldwide, including 65 based in Saudi Arabia. The DESO also works with military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
s based in around 80 UK embassies when necessary.
Recent heads of DESO
- Tony Pawson, 2007-present; previously the Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence and a former Director General of DESO
- Alan Garwood, 2002 to 2007; seconded from MBDAMBDAMBDA is a missile developer and manufacturer with operations in France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and the United States. It was formed by a merger of Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles , Finmeccanica and Matra BAe Dynamics in December 2001. In 2003 the company had 10,000 employees...
(part-owned by BAE SystemsBAE SystemsBAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
, the UK's dominant arms producer) - Tony Edwards, 1998 to 2002; seconded from TI GroupTI GroupTI Group plc was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as Tube Investments in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tubes Ltd, New Credenda Tube , Simplex and Accles & Pollock. In 1928 Reynolds Tube joined...
- Charles Masefield, 1994 to 1998; seconded from AvroAvroAvro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
and AirbusAirbusAirbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
(part-owned by British AerospaceBritish AerospaceBritish Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
); returned to GEC and BAE Systems - Alan Thomas, 1989 to 1994; seconded from RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
- Colin Chandler, 1985 to 1989; seconded from British Aerospace; returned to Siemens PlesseySiemens PlesseySiemens Plessey was the name given to the Plessey businesses acquired by Siemens in 1989. Plessey, a British-based international electronics, defence and telecommunications company, was at the time the second largest defence electronics contractor to the Ministry of Defence and the largest supplier...
, the TI Group, Racal and Vickers
Strategic Market Analysis
Each year, DESO carries out a 'Strategic Market Analysis' which provides world and regional market overviews as well as more detailed analysis of key country markets. According to its website, "Successive Customer Satisfaction Surveys of the UK defence industry revealed that over 75% of [arms export orders] would not have been achieved without the assistance of DESO".Involvement in Arms fairs
Since 1998, DESO has represented the Ministry of Defence in support of the UK Defence Industry at an average of 12 overseas arms fairs a year. In addition to its international marketing campaign DESO helps organise the UK's two main arms fairs, Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEiDSEi
Defence Security and Equipment International is a defence and security equipment exhibition held every two years in London Docklands, which draws thousands of visitors, both trade and military...
), and Farnborough Airshow, which take place in alternate years. DESO is responsible for inviting the international military delegations to both of these events.
Opposition to DESO
The Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
as well as around 30 NGOs have signed a statement calling for DESO's closure. They allege that not enough concern is given to the impact of arms sales on human rights, development or conflict. For instance, in 2004, UK arms export licenses were granted to 13 of the 20 'major countries of concern' identified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
in its 2005 Human Rights Annual Report. (See Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Human Rights Annual Report 2005.)
In 2007, three campaigning groups - CAAT
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Campaign Against Arms Trade is a UK-based NGO and campaigning organisation working towards the abolition of the international arms trade. Founded in 1974 by a broad coalition of peace groups, CAAT is united in opposition to the military industrial complex and the growth of the private military...
, the SPEAK Network
Speak network
SPEAK is an evangelical Christian network which connects people to campaign and pray on issues of global justice. Through bringing change to situations of injustice SPEAK aims to share their faith in God....
and Fellowship of Reconciliation
Fellowship of Reconciliation
The Fellowship of Reconciliation is the name used by a number of religious nonviolent organizations, particularly in English-speaking countries...
- organised campaigns for DESO to be shut down. On July 26th, 2007, Gordon Brown announced that DESO would be closed.