In his inaugural speech following the recent general election, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the head of Britain’s armed forces, pledged to significantly enhance the army’s lethality by the end of the decade. However, he refrained from endorsing the concept of conscription.
Speaking at the Land Warfare conference, Adm. Radakin highlighted the army’s goal of “doubling the fighting power of land forces by 2027 and tripling it by the end of the decade.”
He emphasized that the British army could justify additional investment through improved effectiveness, though he did not explicitly request more funds while Labour ministers assess public finances.
Adm. Radakin’s comments come as Labour embarks on a strategic defense review following their election victory.
This review is set against a backdrop where the British army’s size is at its lowest in 300 years and amid calls for increased defense spending in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The current government has pledged to increase defense spending from 2.32% of GDP (£64.6bn) to 2.5%.
However, they have yet to set a concrete timetable for this increase, preferring to first review the nation’s financial status.
“Politics responds to positive reasons to invest,” Radakin stated, arguing that “the ambition grows” as the military strengthens its case for a more capable army.
Significantly, Radakin did not support a return to national service, a proposal put forth by the Conservative party during the election campaign.
Instead, he noted that the UK’s national security does not rely on an expanded army filled with young conscripts.
“Poland is doubling the size of its army over the next decade. The Baltic and Nordic states are talking about mass resilience and conscription. That is understandable. They border Russia. The threat is close. Our geography is different.”
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin
Earlier this year, General Sir Patrick Sanders, the then-chief of the general staff, had suggested that a form of conscription might be necessary, likening the UK’s situation to a “pre-war” moment.
With Sanders’ retirement, his successor Sir Roly Walker and Adm. Radakin are now working to align the army’s ambitions with Labour’s policies, dismissing the previous administration’s conscription proposal as mere election posturing.
The army’s full-time strength has recently fallen below the previous government’s target of 73,000, partly due to substantial donations of munitions and equipment to Ukraine.
Financial Challenges On The Horizon
Adm. Radakin acknowledged that the army faces “near-term financial challenges” and pointed to “historic under-investment” leading to “deficiencies in people, equipment, stockpiles, training, and technology.”
Military leaders believe that the combined threat from Russia, despite its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, along with potential threats from China, Iran, and North Korea, is increasing and will become more pronounced by 2027 or 2028.
The exact metrics for measuring the army’s increased lethality remain unclear, but there is confidence in the potential of advanced technologies, such as armed drones and artificial intelligence, to enhance operational capabilities.
The effective use of older munitions by Ukraine’s military, which were being retired by the UK and other NATO countries, has also prompted a reevaluation of whether these weapons systems are being phased out too hastily.
Adm. Radakin cautioned against exaggerating the threat posed by Russia, citing Ukrainian figures indicating that the invaders had suffered 550,000 casualties since the conflict began in February 2022.
“It would take Putin five years to reconstitute the Russian army to where it was in February 2022,” he noted, “and another five years beyond that to rectify the weaknesses that the war has revealed.”
As such, the focus of Britain remains on enhancing the effectiveness and capability of its armed forces, while steering clear of measures such as conscription that might not align with the nation’s broader security context.
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