MoD: Royal Navy, Army and RAF not expected to grow after review despite Russia and China threats, report says

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No substantial increase in the number of military personnel is expected after the strategic defence review is concluded, reports say.

As reported in The Times, the size of the British military is not expected to rise despite defence chiefs being concerned about growing threats worldwide. Plans are reportedly being discussed for a “homeland defence force” that would be fully activated in the wake of a major conflict, who would work alongside police and NHS paramedics.

A source told the Times: “They have realised they need to generate a homeland defence force in the event of a major war as the whole of the regulars and reserves need to fight and they need a separate force to defend the homeland.”

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Recruitment and retention in the Royal Navy, British Army, RAF, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and other forces has been repeatedly labelled as a crisis, with all three main armed forces not hitting employment targets and more people leaving the forces than joining.

The number of personnel in the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF is not expected to increase after the strategic defence review is published, national reports say. Budget constraints have been blamed.The number of personnel in the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF is not expected to increase after the strategic defence review is published, national reports say. Budget constraints have been blamed.
The number of personnel in the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF is not expected to increase after the strategic defence review is published, national reports say. Budget constraints have been blamed. | Picture: Keith Woodland (101121-53)

The size of all three forces has declined following a rise in 2021, with the British Army being its smallest size since the Napoleonic era and due to dip below 70,000 personnel this year. According to the national publication, Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord, is believed to have not asked for more sailors in his submission to the review.

He previously told the same publication that advancing technology could see machines take on traditional roles performed by large crews. The six new multi-role support ships coming into service from the 2030s could have crews of 100, instead of 400. The First Sea Lord said why would you put more sailors in harm’s way than you have to, though added a “sweet spot” would be between 250 and 300 sailors.

The Times said there was a shortfall of more than 730 sailors in 2023, the worst year since 2011, when recruiters missed the target by only one. The government’s Strategic Defence Review aims to give recommendations on how to modernise the forces, best allocate funds, detail what imminent threats the UK faces, note any capability gaps and detail any other changes necessary for Britain to secure itself from opposition. Politicians have argued intensely over when defence spending will be increased to 2.5 per cent of GDP, with the Labour government repeatedly stating a path to that figure will be announced following the review’s publication this Spring.

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Pressure has been building to bolster the UK’s defences, with Russia continuing to push forward with its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer previously called for more patrols of the Indo-Pacific region in a bid to curtail China’s sphere of influence.

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