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MPs have warned that the UK will not be ready for a full-scale war unless the government addresses the armed forces’ capabilities, stock shortages and recruitment crisis.
The House of Commons defense committee said the military was “constantly stretched” and the deployment of combatants required little time for operational training.
“By moving too quickly, the government risks failing to establish real operational and strategic preparedness, which could threaten UK security,” the report said.
The panel said “continued pressure” on personnel was exacerbating the recruitment and retention crisis in the regular army and reserves, with more people leaving the armed forces than joining them.
The report said the Department of Defense’s efforts to address the issue were not proceeding “at the required pace.”
MPs urged ministers to ensure troops are not deprived of the time, resources and training they need to fight and win high-intensity, long-term wars.
They said readiness “is critical to effectively deter our adversaries” at a time of heightened geopolitical instability.
The committee’s inquiry heard that the “hollowing out” of the armed forces since 2010 had undermined the UK’s combat capabilities, with the downsizing meaning they would exhaust their capabilities after “the first few months of engagement”. Peer war.
It comes after Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said last month that the world was “moving from a post-war world to a pre-war world” and the UK must ensure its “entire defense ecosystem is ready” to defend its homeland.
He insisted the size of the Army under the Conservatives would not drop below 73,000 amid growing concerns about further cuts to the force.
Sir Jeremy Quinn, who recently took over as chairman of the Defense Committee, said: “Steady, sustained operations and sustained commitments mean the military is unable to devote sufficient training and resources to high-intensity operations.
“While capable of deploying and fulfilling commitments in a short period of time, our investigation found that preparations for a full-scale, long-term war have received insufficient attention and require continued attention.
“On top of that, high-tempo operations and continued pressure on our services have resulted in lower retention rates, which, combined with a period of low recruitment and difficulties in introducing and maintaining capacity, has created a vicious cycle.”
He said the government must “either fully invest in our military or recognize that proper war priorities will mean reduced availability for other missions”.
“We need to be strategic about the resources we have, including how we maintain and replenish inventories, and think about how to ensure that equipment – even after it is decommissioned – is not wasted.”
The committee also complained that its investigation was “hindered” by a “lack of government transparency” and an “unacceptably slow” response to its requests for information.
Around 20,000 British troops will take part in NATO’s Resolute Defender exercise across Europe, the alliance’s largest such exercise since the end of the Cold War.
The Department of Defense has been contacted for comment.
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