Jeremy Blackham

Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham KCB BA: Commanded the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, and was Commandant of the Royal Navy Staff College and, in the Ministry of Defence and Director of Navy Plans.

Before retiring from the Royal Navy as Deputy Chief of Defense Staff (Equipment Capability), Blackham launched and implemented the first Tri-Service Equipment Program: "establishing the new capability approach and determining defense requirements for the next 20 years." Blackham developed new co-operative arrangements with "US and French acquisition authorities and led the operational, technological, politico-strategic and industrial policy development, working directly with The Secretary of State for Defense, The Minister for Defense Procurement, Chiefs of Staff from all three Services, and the chief Executive of the Defense Procurement Agency."

Blackham has written more than 60 articles for the Naval Review, the RUSI Journal and other Defense organs (including Defense Procurement Analysis). He is a frequent lecturer on Defense and Defense acquisition matters (arms sales and exports). He studied at the Royal College of Defense Studies and was later accredited with an MDA (Masters in Defense Administration). A member of the Arbitration Committee; and of the NHS Appointments Committee. He later became UK president of multinational company European Aerospace and Defense Systems (EADS). [1] He also works as an Independent Defence Consultant with the very secretive Sarnmere [2] [3] and Atmaana a 'change and knowledge management company' [4] [5]

Blackham was part of the British personnel at the secret meeting with the US military on so-called 'non-lethal' weapons, including lasers, high-power microwave technology and poison gas [6] Representing EADS, Blackham also took part in an IPPR sponsored event at the 2004 Labour Party conference [7]

'Risk, Threat and Security'

Blackham was a member of a private seminar series which met between May 2006 and January 2008 and produced an article in the RUSI Journal called 'Risk, Threat and Security: The Case of the United Kingdom'. The article expressed concerns that the 'politicisation' of defence policy and a national 'lack of confidence' made the UK vulnerable to security threats. It suggested therefore the partial removal of defence policy from democratic control.

In assessing the supposed security threats to the UK, the article expressed a concern that the country was ‘soft’ and lacked a cohesive identity which made it vulnerable to enemies. It complained of a ‘lack of leadership from the majority which in misplaced deference to ‘multiculturalism’ [has] failed to lay down the line to immigrant communities’.

Affilitations

• United Kingdom National Defence Association