The looming threat of a “hot” war with Russia may prompt the UK to scrap proposed army cuts.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is thought to be reviewing plans to reduce troop numbers from 82,000 to 73,000, the lowest since the Napoleonic era.
Wallace has pushed to bolster the military after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which forced a reassessment of security risks.
The Integrated Review, set to be released on Monday, is expected to provide an additional £5 billion to the Ministry of Defence budget, around half of what Wallace has been seeking.
The reduction in troop strength has been condemned by Conservative MPs and is now being reconsidered.
Wallace has warned that the UK may face confrontation with Russia over the coming decade, whether it is “hot” or “cold”, while also branding China a systemic competitor.
The decision to cut main battle tank numbers from 227 to 148 is also being re-examined.
Rishi Sunak will unveil the updated Integrated Review on Monday during his visit to San Diego for talks with US President Joe Biden and his Australian counterpart on the AUKUS nuclear subs agreement.
Junior Defence Minister James Heappey revealed that there have been some robust exchanges with the Treasury over military funding, both publicly and behind closed doors.
Despite reported criticism from the UK’s allies regarding its military readiness, Heappey insisted that the UK is not a second-tier army.
However, he acknowledged that decisions taken during the Iraq and Afghanistan years to disinvest in capabilities that enable the rapid movement of large forces have consequences.
The UK has not ruled out sending Typhoon aircraft to Kyiv to support Ukraine during the war with Russia, although logistical complexities and the four-to-six month training period required for Ukraine’s experienced fighter pilots make it unlikely in the short term.
The Defence Committee chairman, Tobias Ellwood, called for faster action, noting that Putin is the most destabilising force in Europe at present.
He urged the UK to supply equipment to help Ukraine stand up to Russia.
»UK to scrap proposed army cut«
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