The British military can
sustain its full capabilities for only about two months in the event of a
conflict with a comparable opponent, according to a House of Commons defense committee
report. Both current and former British military leaders described a decade-long “hollowing out” of the Armed Forces that has led to overall deficiencies in war-fighting resilience. Critical infrastructural gaps noted by the
Ministry of Defence include inadequate munitions warehousing and infrastructure, operational medical capacity, and support for armored vehicle equipment.
(Article republished from
TheNationalPulse.com)
Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey pointed out that while defense cuts were deemed necessary when implemented, it is now urgent to reinvest in areas subject to disinvestment. Heappey further stated that substantial work is needed to regain the wartime
readiness last seen during the Cold War era.
The report indicates that the British military’s readiness was negatively impacted by the donation of armaments to Ukraine, with one artillery regiment reportedly depleted of guns after assisting in the Ukrainian war effort against Russia. Another concern is the bottleneck in procurement and delivery for replenishment of the NLAW anti-tank systems and 155mm artillery ammunition Britain provided to Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the British army only has around 75,000 soldiers, about half of what it commanded three decades ago. This triggered talks about utilizing a “civilian army” during major conflicts. The consequences of this scaled-down force are already visible, with the imminent decommissioning of two naval frigates reportedly due to insufficient staff. Jeremy Quin MP, chair of the committee, concluded that the military’s
preparedness for a prolonged war requires increased attention and sustained focus.
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