Assignment Title: Strategic Defence Decisions

Learning Outcomes to be Assessed

1. DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THEORIES OF DEFENCE, PEACE AND SECURITY
2. APPRAISE THEIR APPLICATION IN VARIOUS AREAS OF CONFLICT POLICY SUCH AS TERRORISM, THE PEACE DIVIDEND AND WAR FINANCE
3. EVALUATE THE IMPLICATIONS FROM VARIOUS MILITARY DATA SOURCES.

Assessment Brief

Write an assignment to cover the current and future strategic defence implications of ONE of the following THREE questions. Use as much data and evidence as possible to support your arguments and ensure the assignment is structured to include an introduction, at least four main paragraphs and a conclusion. Try to include relevant academic references and access appropriate web-sites.

Assessment Questions

Evaluate whether or not defence procurement is too important strategically to be undertaken in a competitive open market environment. Illustrate your answer with reference to one major weapons platform.

To what extent is the perception of the terrorist threat changing economic resource allocation in favour of domestic security? Illustrate your answer with reference to the current global conflict.

Critically assess the requirement for increased efficiency in the UK Armed Forces in view of the changing nature of conflict. Illustrative your answer with reference to Future Force 2020 (FF2020) and a desire to return to 'East of Suez'.

Assessment Criteria

For a PASS mark, the assignment must answer the question and demonstrate a clear understanding of the underlying theory and assess the implications of current and future defence strategy and policy. For a DISTINCTION mark, the assignment must also provide valuable insights into defence strategy and policy and link the evidence to the area of applied analysis.

Submission Details

All work should be submitted electronically to and be accompanied by the assignment submission feedback sheet.  You must complete the required sections of the feedback sheet.  All submissions are to be anonymous, so please ensure you do not mention your name either on the feedback sheet or within the assignment itself.  You will be provided with an electronic receipt as proof of

submission.

Assignments must be submitted by the due date.  The only circumstance in which assignments can be submitted late is if an extenuating circumstances form is submitted before the due date.  If the extenuating circumstances are upheld, the assignment will be graded; otherwise a grade point 0 will be awarded. You are strongly advised to keep your personal tutor informed of any circumstances that might give rise to an extenuating circumstances claim.