Published on 19 October, the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) details how UK Armed Forces will be reshaped to tackle emerging and future threats.
There have been two main priorities in the review:
• to ensure that the mission in Afghanistan is protected; and
• to make sure the UK emerges with a coherent defence capability in 2020.
Afghanistan remains the MoD’s top priority and Defence cannot continue on an unaffordable footing.
The SDSR aims to bring defence plans, commitments and resources into balance so that there is a coherent defence capability and a sustainable defence program for the future.
“The front line has been protected because Afghanistan is the Government’s top priority,” Secretary of State for Defence Dr Liam Fox said.
“Tough decisions are required to reconfigure our Armed Forces to confront future threats whilst we also tackle the £38 billion deficit that has accumulated in the 12 years since the last Defence Review.
“The MoD must become as effective and as efficient as possible.”
There will be some major changes to force elements of all three Services to enable them to meet future force structures.
The review will lead to reductions in manpower over the next five years across all three Services and the civilians in Defence:
• the Royal Navy will reduce by around 5,000 personnel;
• the Army by 7,000;
• the RAF by 5,000;
• civilians by 25,000.
No changes will be made to frontline Army, Royal Marine or RAF Regiment units while operations in Afghanistan continue.
The UK will also axe the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier and delay the replacement of its nuclear deterrent as it seeks to slash its defence budget.
Decommissioning HMS Ark Royal will leave Britain without an aircraft carrier capable of flying jets for about a decade while two new vessels are built.
This in conjunction with the massive personnel cuts outlined above could see an already fragile capability almost destroyed.