Archive for category United Kingdom

Company Spotlight: Drum Cussac

Nov 21

Posted by Matt in Company Spotlight, Industry Talk, Maritime Security, Somalia, United Kingdom | 1 Comment

     Drum Cussac deserves a little attention here, and I would like to thank Marcel at the Feral Jundi Facebook Page for sending me some recent information about them. I have posted a job deal from Drum Cussac in the past, and interestingly enough, it was for some FCO work. I say this because in the article below, it is yet again the FCO wanting to work with Drum Cussac for a contract training the TFG coast guard in Somalia to battle pirates.  I guess the FCO likes working with Drum Cussac, and that is why I wanted to do a company spotlight on them.

     Oh, and the dorks at the Telegraph should really think before getting all pissed off about their government hiring ‘mercenaries’ and using tax payer’s money for contracting their services. What the article forgets to emphasize (yet still mentions) is that the money the FCO would use for contracting Drum Cussac’s services, would be the $25 million dollars in so-called ‘aid money’ given to them by the US.  So I am not sure how this would be construed as taking from the British tax payer? Hell, if anything, US money for anti-piracy operations should go towards contracting the services of US companies.

     But back to Drum Cussac.  I found a few interesting things about the company worth noting, but there are also some areas that I am foggy about. For example, there is no history section on the company’s website that discusses where the name ‘Drum Cussac’ came from?  There really isn’t any information about the leadership of the company on the website either, but I did find out who the CEO of Drum Cussac is via other means. He is former Scots Guards officer Jeremy Stampa Orwin.

    As for the business that Drum has done, as of 2008 they had over 130 super-yachts as clients, with each boat worth more than £50 million. Not bad, and it sounds like recently they have done a lot to corner the super yacht market with their partnership with Yacht Lifeline. I am sure business has increased since that time, and their other shipping protection work, as well as the oil and gas stuff has made them a pretty penny. They also mentioned ’500 transits’ in high risk waters over the last five years, so that is something.

    I was really interested when they started promoting ‘armed security’ in a press release, and the Telegraph story took an interest as well. For a British company, promoting maritime armed security is a rarity it seems. lol But it is a sign of the times that armed security is what is probably being demanded now a days. Especially as each ransom paid continues to add to the lethality and size of the piracy problem.  Perhaps shipping companies are starting to get the idea that something needs to be done, other than fueling the problem with more money.

    The other area of interest was their Political Evacuation Insurance they offer.  I am wondering if this insurance would cover a situation like what happened to Ross Perot’s company in Iran? I would be very curious to know how far a company like this would go to save a client?

    Finally, I have posted a link to probably one of the best Maritime Security forums out there, located at Close Protection World’s family of forums.  They have tons of information about the SSO certification for maritime security work, and they discuss Drum Cussac from time to time. Especially this current news story about them.

     From what I gather, Drum offers a pretty good SSO course for a reasonable price.  I have yet to hear any complaints and they sound comparable to other companies offering the same. No word on wether or not you could get on some database after getting this training, but I am sure they would offer some kind of networking potential or even recruitment offers via email every once in awhile.

     Although it sounds like this current gig offering £1,500-a-day would only be reserved for their high-end guys. But you never know, and they do cover a lot of boats out there, so the work has to be there.  Definitely check out all the stuff below and if anyone has anything else to add about the company, please feel free to chime in. -Matt

rule dividerCompany Spotlight: Drum Cussac

drum cussac clip image002Company Spotlight: Drum Cussac

Armed Security Teams

October 2010

Drum Cussac, the market leader in anti-piracy and maritime security consultancy, can now supply a full range of armed services for the protection of vessels in transit through high risk waters and for static operations or survey work in areas of high threat.

Our armed option has been designed to provide fully legitimate, properly licensed and trained teams to deploy onboard vessels. Our teams are experienced UK Nationals and are equipped with new and modern weapon systems. We are able to operate from a number of ports in the Indian sub-continent, Africa, Gulf States and the Mediterranean.

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Military News: British Military Expands Links To French Allies

Nov 3

Posted by Matt in France, Military News, United Kingdom | No Comments

     Wow, this is interesting. I won’t say much, because I really don’t have a good feel on how both sides feel about this. Or how this impacts each nation’s psyche when their defenses are so closely tied to another country’s defense. I mean it is pragmatic, and helps increase the defensive or offensive capabilities of each country. But what happens when France wants to use a British asset for something that Britain wants no part in? Or when the politics change in each country, how will something like this last? -Matt

rule dividerMilitary News: British Military Expands Links To French Allies

British Military Expands Links to French Allies

November 2, 2010

By JOHN F. BURNS

LONDON — Britain and France signed defense agreements on Tuesday that promised cooperation far beyond anything achieved previously in 60 years of NATO cooperation, including the creation of a joint expeditionary force, shared use of aircraft carriers and combined efforts to improve the safety and effectiveness of their nuclear weapons.

The agreements signed in London by Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France were a landmark of another kind for two nations that spent centuries confronting each other on the battlefields of Europe. While neither leader mentioned Agincourt, Trafalgar or Waterloo, or French victories that included the Norman Conquest in 1066, both stirred a brief whiff of the troubled history of Anglo-French relations into the mood of general bonhomie.

The agreements envisaged a new combined force available for deployment at times of international crisis that is expected to involve about 5,000 service members from each nation, with land, sea and air components, and rotating French and British commanders. The pacts also foresee each nation alternating in putting a single aircraft carrier to sea, with the vessels operating as bases for French, British and American aircraft in times of need.

The nuclear agreement was in some ways the most surprising, since it committed the two nations to sharing some of their most carefully kept secrets. Although the two leaders emphasized that France’s “force de frappe” and Britain’s similar, submarine-based ballistic missile force would remain separate and under the sole control of each government, they agreed to establish joint research centers, one in France and one in Britain, to further research on their stockpiles of nuclear warheads.

The cooperation pact was set to last 50 years and could transform the way the countries project force, fight wars and compete for defense contracts with the United States. One goal appeared to be to give the two militaries greater buying power to support the struggling European defense industry.

Mr. Cameron, who has navigated deep hostilities to European integration and deep skepticism toward France in his Conservative Party, emphasized the budgetary benefits, saying the agreements would contribute savings of “millions of pounds” to Britain’s plan to make deep cuts in its $60 billion defense budget.

Previous efforts at military cooperation between the countries have more often faltered than succeeded. In the late 1990s, Tony Blair, then Britain’s prime minister, and Jacques Chirac, then France’s president, promised deeper defense cooperation, but the understanding was undone by differences over the Iraq war. In both countries, there are significant political forces arrayed against anything that smacks of too close a military partnership with the age-old foe.

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Industry Talk: The Rise Of The UK’s Private Security Companies

Nov 2

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Industry Talk, Iraq, Switzerland, United Kingdom | No Comments

     Good little story on the UK private security industry. Also it is good to see Andy Bearpark of BAPSC and Mr. Binns of Aegis get a little attention in the report.

     One area that I would like to further clarify though is that British companies are not immune from making mistakes or being involved in ‘gung ho’ operations, as the article below has stated. They typically do a good job, but believe me, back in the early days of Iraq, the British companies did stupid things out on the roads and on the bases as well. None of the companies were immune from making mistakes out there. But what defined the good companies from the bad ones, were those that cared to get it right and learned from those mistakes.

    Also, there was no mention of the upcoming International Code of Conduct signing taking place on Nov. 9th in Switzerland? Partners in the UK and the US have been involved in the creation of this code, and this will be a document that will help to further classify ‘industry best practices and standards’ that could be instrumental in weeding out the bad companies, both in the UK and the US. -Matt

rule dividerIndustry Talk: The Rise Of The UKs Private Security Companies

49610879 genbinns 1489Industry Talk: The Rise Of The UKs Private Security Companies

Graham Binns says the future is bright for the UK’s private security industry. 

The rise of the UK’s private security companies

1 November 2010

By Edwin Lane

Major General Graham Binns is not your typical chief executive.

As a lifelong soldier, he is more used to commanding an armoured division than a company boardroom.

In 2003 he commanded British troops invading southern Iraq, and in 2007 returned as the commander of British forces overseeing the handover of Basra to the Iraqis.

But now, four months into his new job as chief executive of Aegis Defence Services – a British private security company (PSC) – he has left army life behind.

“It’s liberating,” he says, sitting in Aegis’s comfortable headquarters in a plush office building in central London.

“Thirty-five years in government service was a wonderful experience. But in the world of business, ex-military people have got a lot to offer – I certainly hope so anyway.”

For Aegis, netting a leading figure from the Iraq war can only be good for business – particularly when your business is in the often-controversial world of armed private security.

Now one of the UK’s biggest PSCs, Aegis has made millions from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan since it was founded just eight years ago.

Iraq bubble

It is even fair to say that Aegis, like much of the private security industry, owes its very existence to the last Iraq war.

“Certain activities can be done much more cost-effectively by the private sector” said Andy Bearpark of BAPSC

When the occupying forces found themselves trying to reconstruct the country while overwhelmed by Iraqi insurgency and sectarian violence, PSCs saw a lucrative opportunity.

“In Iraq in 2003 and 2004 money was basically free,” explains Andy Bearpark, director-general of the British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC).

“That meant [private security] contracts were being let for ridiculous amounts of money – millions and millions of dollars of contracts being pumped into the industry.

“The industry exploded in terms of the volume of business on the back of Iraq.”

Dozens of firms from the US and the UK stepped in to offer their services, providing governments and reconstruction NGOs with armed security personnel, convoy escorts, logistics support, training for the Iraqi security services, and risk analysis.

Names like Armorgroup and Control Risks, which had been around in the UK since the 80s, saw a chance to expand their businesses.

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Industry Talk: Is The UK Preparing To Scrap The Security Industry Authority?

Sep 22

Posted by Matt in Industry Talk, United Kingdom | 3 Comments

     This is odd, and it is kind of funny to read. Here is the US trying to regulate and license our guards to keep a check on the industry, and yet here is the UK trying to ‘reduce burdensome regulation’. lol

     I will not say too much about this because it is a little out of my lane.  In the past, we had some guest authors and readers discussing the pros and cons of the SIA and I really don’t know how effective it is right now? Maybe it is not needed or that it is not effectively screening folks and too costly? Perhaps government is not able to regulate it because of how inefficient and slow it can be?

     Who knows but either way, the whole world is watching the UK and how it treats this issue.  I have mentioned the US, India, and China as three countries looking hard at regulating this industry and the UK is one of the few places that has actually done this.  Imperfect–maybe, but none the less they have licensed and regulated their industry.

     The other thing I was thinking about was how this might impact contracts throughout the world?  If the SIA is no longer in existence, then British and commonwealth type companies would have one less means of sifting through folks. It would be interesting to hear what Andy Bearpark and others have to say about this one? -Matt

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Security sector quango faces axe in cost drive

By Glenn Campbell Scotland correspondent

22 September 2010

The Home Office is preparing to scrap the body which regulates bouncers and other security workers across the UK.

The Security Industry Authority has been placed under the axe as part of a wider plan to cut the number and cost of public bodies.

Abolishing the SIA will not save taxpayers money because it is largely self-financing, but a Home Office document, seen by the BBC, suggests the move would save security firms money and contribute to “reducing burdensome regulation”.

The document suggests the industry has matured enough to police itself.

A Home Office spokesman said no final decision had been made but the department expected to “make an announcement in due course”.

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Jobs: PSD Personnel, Iraq

Sep 17

Posted by Matt in Iraq, Jobs, United Kingdom | No Comments

     This job is for British and Commonwealth passport holders only. The job also requires that you have an SIA license. On the down side, the salary is pretty damned low if you ask me.  Especially since Iraq is still an active war zone.

     My other thought on this is that I think this is for an oil related contract, but I am just guessing. The oil companies are all using British companies in Iraq, and they have that market wrapped up pretty good.

     I am not the POC or recruiter for this, and please follow the link below if you would like to apply. Good luck. -Matt

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com logo largeJobs: PSD Personnel, Iraq

GardaWorld Job Specification

Position: PSD Personnel

Job Type: Sub-contractor

Location: Iraq – various locations

Start Date: (subject to confirmation)Now 2010 – ongoing

Pay: Operator Rates starting from £172/day ($270 a day)

Rotation: 8 weeks on, 4 weeks off

Likely duration of task: Long-term

Travel/Flight Pay Details: Standard provision

Package:

Accommodation & food included, plus insurance & provision of flights from (nearest UK airport of departure) into theatre. For those contractors with an airport Hub outside the UK , the contractor will be required to pay difference in flight costs, compared to costs of flights from LHR.

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Industry Talk: Attack On British Security Firm In Mosul Iraq Kills Four

Jul 19

Posted by Matt in Industry Talk, Iraq, United Kingdom | No Comments

    Rest in peace to the fallen.  As more information comes in, I will make the edit. -Matt

Edit: 07/20/2010- The company was Aegis.

Edit 07/21/2010- The name of the British security contractor was Nicholas Crouch.

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Attack on British security firm in Iraq kills 4

Mon Jul 19, 2010

A suicide car bomber plowed into a convoy of a British security company in northern Iraq on Monday, killing four foreigners and wounding five Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security officials said.

The British embassy said one of the dead was a Briton. The nationalities of the others were not known.

The suicide bomber targeted the last vehicle of the convoy in restive Mosul, a dangerous city where al Qaeda remains active, and the force of the blast threw the armored vehicle 40 meters (yards) into a ravine, killing everyone inside, police said.

“I saw the other members of the convoy bring out four dead foreign civilians from the smashed car. One of them was beheaded,” an Iraqi military officer, asking not to be named, said by telephone from the site of the attack in northern Mosul.

“We can confirm that a British national was killed in an attack on a British private security company convoy in Mosul this morning. We have offered consular assistance,” the British embassy said in a statement.

Mosul is on the front line of a longstanding feud between Iraq’s Arabs and minority Kurds over land, power and oil wealth.

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Afghanistan: The Heroes Of Edinburgh International Defend D.A.I/U.S.A.I.D In Kunduz, 6 Taliban Killed!

Jul 3

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Germany, Industry Talk, United Kingdom | No Comments

      “The actions taken by the EI security staff in defense of the compound and project staff were nothing short of heroic,” said DAI President and CEO James Boomgard. “We are deeply grateful for their bravery, and for the work they do day in, day out, to make our development mission possible. Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased at this terrible hour.”

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     Rest in peace to the fallen heroes of Edinburgh International.  You defended your client and paid the ultimate price in the process. USAID and the companies involved in this should award these fallen heroes with medals of valor, because if these were soldiers in any army, they certainly would have been recognized for these actions.

     The interesting thing here is the attack shows a definite pattern.  Suicide assaulters blasting the entry point and swarming the target, looking for opportunities of attack as they penetrate deeper. I would also be curious if they were wearing body armor under their suicide vests or if they were wearing ANA or ANP uniform? Regardless, the defense that the EI guys had in place, was able to protect what was important and kill all six suicide assaulters. I would be interested in reading the AAR for this and hopefully any lessons learned is getting out to other learning organizations/guard forces throughout Afghanistan. -Matt

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Kunduz 1671210cAfghanistan: The Heroes Of Edinburgh International Defend D.A.I/U.S.A.I.D In Kunduz, 6 Taliban Killed!

Firefighters try to put out a fire in a building which was attacked by Taliban insurgents in Kunduz  Photo: REUTERS   

DAI Project Office Attacked in Afghanistan, Four People Killed

July 2, 2010

DAI is today mourning the loss of four staff following an early morning attack on our Local Governance and Community Development (LGCD) Program office in Kunduz, Afghanistan. All four of those killed worked for our security subcontractor, Edinburgh International (EI).

“The actions taken by the EI security staff in defense of the compound and project staff were nothing short of heroic,” said DAI President and CEO James Boomgard. “We are deeply grateful for their bravery, and for the work they do day in, day out, to make our development mission possible. Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased at this terrible hour.”

One British, one German, and two Afghan nationals were killed in the incident, and several more EI staff were injured. Two DAI staff were injured but all are safe and receiving medical care under the auspices of the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

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Jobs: Ship Security Officers, OCONUS

May 21

Posted by Matt in Jobs, Maritime Security, United Kingdom | No Comments

   The thing to focus on with this gig is that you must be SSO trained, and medical/ SIA certified.  This is a UK company and unless you have these kinds of credentials, I wouldn’t even bother submitting a resume.  But, they do offer the courses for SSO, SIA, and probably medical as well. (go figure, lol)  Which is cool, and you could knock out a bunch of really necessary courses through this company, if you wanted to get into the maritime security industry. That is not to say that you will get a job with EOS, if you go to their courses, but it will definitely make you more marketable.

   I am not the point of contact or recruiter and go through EOS if you want to apply or learn more about their contracts (current and upcoming).  Also, I am not endorsing the company and I am only putting the information out there for those readers who qualify and are interested in this stuff.  Good luck and let me know how it goes. -Matt

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eos logoJobs: Ship Security Officers, OCONUS

Opportunities

Maritime Security Trainer

Experienced trainer for delivery of Ship Security Officer, Company Security Officer and Port Facility Security Officer courses (approved by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Transec – Dept of Transport)required for occassional short term training contracts in both the UK and Overseas.

Ship Security Officers – Medic Trained

Medic qualified Ship Security Officer (SSO) required for inclusion in 4 man counter piracy team. Must be SSO qualified and have demonstratable experience in maritime security.

Applying

If you believe you have the qualities required to work for Eos Risk Management Limited please email your CV to recruitment@eosrisk.com in a format which includes the following information:

• A brief personal profile

• Chronological career history – with most recent employment first

• Education, qualifications and languages

• Copy of SIA license (if relevant)

• Passport photograph (preferred)

By sending in your information you will allow Eos to maintain your details on a database, which shall be used by the Company for recruitment purposes. All information maintained shall be done in strict accordance to the Data Protection Act 1998. Please specify when you send your CV if you do not want your details kept on our database.

Link to website here.

*****

From Close Protection World Forum

Eos Risk Management Ltd is looking to compile a cadre of experienced maritime security team leaders, operatives & consultants for potential up coming contracts.

We anticipate a number of contracts to be completed in the near future. However, nothing is definite at this stage and we do not wish to mislead anyone into thinking you will be flying out tomorrow!

Please contact us ONLY if you fulfil the following criteria:

Essential:

1) SSO or CSO trained by Eos Risk Management

2) Operational experience within MARITIME security

3) CP SIA license

4) Previous military and/or law enforcement experience

5) Current or near future availability

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Industry Talk: Three British Security Contractors Killed In Afghan Plane Crash

May 20

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Aviation, Industry Talk, United Kingdom | No Comments

   Rest in peace to Daniel Saville, David Taylor, and Chris Carter and my heart goes out to the families and friends. Yet again, where is the recognition for the deaths of these men?  I have no idea what company these guys were working for, but at the very least that company should be demanding that their contractors be recognized and counted for paying the ultimate sacrifice. To pay your respects, there is a thread on the subject over at SOCNET here.-Matt

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Three Britons named in Afghan plane crash blamed on bad weather

David Brown

May 18, 2010

Three Britons were among 44 people feared dead after an Afghan passenger plane crashed in mountains 60 miles north of the capital Kabul yesterday.

The missing men are Daniel Saville from Manchester, David Taylor from Staffordshire and Chris Carter, whose address is not known. They are all believed to be security contractors.

Poor weather has hampered efforts to locate the Pamir Airways flight from the northern city of Kunduz. There was no immediate word on casualties.

By nightfall rescuers were still struggling to reach the area, in snow-capped mountains near the 12,700 foot Salang Pass, a major route through the Hindu Kush mountains that connects the capital to the north.

Paul Norris, a spokesman at the British embassy in Kabul, said: “The plane is currently technically ‘missing’ as the crash site hasn’t yet been found. But we can confirm that three British nationals were on board.” The State Department said a US citizen was also among the missing.

The plane left Kunduz shortly after 8.30am. The Antonov An-24 is a 60-year-old medium range twin-turbo prop civil aircraft built in the former Soviet Union from 1950 to 1978.

Yama Ariaye, of Pamir Airways, said: “We don’t have any news but the weather was a problem. It was quite cloudy at the time.”

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Technology: California Ranchers Wield British Radar To Detect Illegal Border Crossers

May 5

Posted by Matt in California, Technology, United Kingdom | No Comments

   Thanks to Cannoneer #4 for sending me this, and this is an excellent addition to The Defense of Farms and Ranches post.  The other thing I like about articles like this, is it highlights exactly what works and what doesn’t work out there.  What these ranchers are dealing with, is a daily issue that has been going on for years.  An individual protecting his land will come across a multitude of ideas, and try everything under the sun to get a job done.  They will also be pushing that equipment’s lifespan to the limits, and all of this information about the products longevity and usefulness is vital to other end users and to the company that made it.

   Personally, I have not used this product, so I cannot endorse it. I also have no connection to the company, and this just came across my desk as something that was interesting.  If any FJ readers have experience with this equipment, I am sure the rest of the readership would be interested to hear about that-good or bad. -Matt

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bl200Technology: California Ranchers Wield British Radar To Detect Illegal Border Crossers

Calif. Ranchers Wield British Radar to Detect Illegal Border Crossers

December 2009

By Grace V. Jean

LONDON — Frustrated by trespassers attempting to cross into the United States illegally, ranch owners in southern California have purchased a British radar in an effort to protect their property and to help Border Patrol agents nab more intruders.

The Blighter B202 Radar, developed by Plextek Ltd., an electronics and communications design consultancy based near Cambridge, U.K., detects people walking or crawling through the rocky, hilly landscape from four kilometers away, says Nicholas Booth, manager of Blighter sales and marketing.

The man-portable, scanning radar is mounted on a tripod and runs on rechargeable lithium ion batteries. It has a 20-degree wide vertical elevation beam that permits the detection of targets in the distance as well as up close.

“You can see people walking up and down the mountain and on the plains at the same time,” says Booth.

Traditional radars would require tilting to cover the same area.

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