Recommendations & Conclusions
79 items
32
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Readiness is about acceptable risk. The decisions on what risks to take are ultimately political (based partly on military advice) rather than solely military or parliamentary decisions. Ministers will also inevitably need to reach judgments about the availability of information regarding threats and the UK’s readiness to respond 48 Meg …
Government response. The government agrees that there is no regular mechanism for scrutiny on readiness and offers a regular annual open session for the Committee to meet with Ministers and Service Chiefs to address this gap.
Ministry of Defence
33
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Government’s reaction to this specific inquiry has also been unacceptably slow and has impeded our work. Responses to our requests for written evidence have arrived many months late and contained very little useful information. We took up the Government’s offer of a meeting in private to review classified information. …
Government response. The government agrees that the response time for this specific inquiry was slow and commits to making every effort to prevent recurrence. They assure that the newly offered annual open session will be prioritised and provide useful, timely information.
Ministry of Defence
34
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In the absence of adequate official information, public and parliamentary scrutiny of and debate about UK armed forces readiness currently relies on media reporting and corridor conversations, leading to suspicion that the forces are less ready than in fact they are. It does not need to be like this. The …
Government response. The government recognizes the need for more public information on planning assumptions and readiness, committing to releasing headlines from current Defence Planning Assumptions (DPAs) and 'as much as possible' of future DPAs when national and NATO planning processes mature.
Ministry of Defence
37
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
At the end of 2023, over 7,000 UK Armed Forces personnel were deployed on more than 40 operations abroad.51 Some of these operations are long-standing commitments whereas others are in response to unexpected events. In the last quarter of 2023, the Secretary of State deployed a Royal Navy task group …
Government response. The government states that the UK Armed Forces continue to meet all their operational commitments, including participation in NATO missions, support for Ukraine, and addressing Houthi shipping attacks in the Red Sea.
Ministry of Defence
38
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Standing commitments and ‘flying the flag’ operations can play a vital role in building alliances and partnerships that could help deter or win a future war. The Minister for the Armed Forces highlighted the work which the Rangers carried out countering Russian influence55 and the Secretary of State cited the …
Government response. The government agrees on the importance of alliances and partnerships, stating that the UK, as a leading NATO member, already leverages these relationships and deploys assets like aircraft carriers to build international defence capabilities.
Ministry of Defence
39
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Secretary of State told us that in relation to the additional deployments to KFOR and the Middle East, his “experience of our Armed Forces has been that when I have needed something so far, it has been there”: They will say yes, but they will also say, “But these …
Government response. The government affirms that the Armed Forces continue to meet all operational commitments, including NATO missions, support for Ukraine, and tackling Houthi attacks, demonstrating their ability to respond effectively to crises.
Ministry of Defence
41
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Professor Michael Clarke told us “British forces over the past 30 years have done a great deal of operating, but have not prepared for war fighting, and there is a big difference between operating efficiently and well, and preparing for war fighting. The Ukraine war has brought the spectre of …
Government response. The government agrees the threat has changed and states that Defence is being optimized to fight, with lessons from Ukraine leading to re-evaluation of capabilities and readiness. It highlights £1.95bn allocated to address capability gaps and improve resilience.
Ministry of Defence
42
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
All three witnesses in our first evidence session questioned the warfighting readiness of the UK Armed Forces.63 General Lord Houghton later told us that the “hollowing out” of the Armed Forces since 2010 had led to shortfalls in the UK’s warfighting resilience: one of the ways in which we were …
Government response. The government confirms £1.95Bn from the 2023 Spring Budget has been allocated to improve defence resilience by building munitions and medical stockpiles, enhancing critical infrastructure, and supporting activities like supply chain mapping and wargaming.
Ministry of Defence
43
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The MOD have acknowledged that there are gaps in their warfighting readiness. In written evidence submitted to this inquiry, the MOD highlighted that investment is required in: • Defence rail outload theatre capability; • Infrastructure and warehousing munitions; 59 Q427; 365 60 Q429;431–2; 435 61 Oral evidence taken before the …
Government response. The government confirms £1.95Bn from the 2023 Spring Budget has been allocated to improve defence resilience by building munitions and medical stockpiles, enhancing critical infrastructure, and supporting activities like supply chain mapping and wargaming, directly addressing identified investment needs.
Ministry of Defence
44
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Chief of the Defence Staff also told us that the MOD was investing in capabilities such as “complex weapons, general munitions, and operational spares stocks to meet the needs of sustained operation”.68 The Minister for the Armed Forces argued that decisions taken to make savings at the expense of …
Government response. The government details that it has placed almost £1Bn in contracts to replenish UK stocks of equipment and munitions, including various anti-tank weapons, missiles, and artillery rounds, which were provided to Ukraine.
Ministry of Defence
45
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Using open source evidence provided to us, we have below set out a range of capability gaps and readiness shortfalls in each of the Front Line Commands. We do not doubt that the Government will be able to point to procurement programmes and arrangements with Allies which alleviate the situation. …
Government response. The government states that a significant recapitalisation programme is already underway across all domains, with new platforms entering service and commitments made in DCP23 to prioritize lethality, stockpiles, munitions, and a transformed partnership with industry to address capability shortfalls.
Ministry of Defence
46
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
General Sir Nick Carter told us that the Army was the “weakest service” and that it had “significant capability deficiencies”.71 Both Dr Simon Anglim and General Lord Houghton questioned whether the UK could field the heavy division which is committed to NATO without an Ally providing a Brigade.72 Professor Malcolm …
Government response. The government responds to concerns about the Army's capability deficiencies by detailing existing recapitalisation and modernisation programmes, new platforms, and commitments under DCP23 to enhance lethality, stockpiles, and industrial partnerships.
Ministry of Defence
47
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Many of Dr Allport’s assessments of the capability shortages regarding the Army’s fighting vehicles align with what we discovered when we produced our 2021 Report on the challenges faced by the Army in updating its heavy armoured capability.76 When we suggested that there were serious deficiencies in the Army’s capabilities …
Government response. The government acknowledges the concerns regarding the Army's heavy armoured capability by outlining its ongoing recapitalisation programme and modernisation efforts across all domains, prioritizing new platforms, stockpiles, and industrial partnerships.
Ministry of Defence
48
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
These capability shortfalls exist despite the fact that the Army budget has increased over the past decade and investment in the Army as an overall proportion of Defence spending has been maintained. Between the financial years 2013–2014 and 2022–2023, the Army’s overall budget grew in real terms by 15%78 and …
Government response. The government responds to the observation about capability shortfalls despite budget increases by outlining existing recapitalisation programs, new platforms coming into service, and current prioritization of lethality, stockpiles, and industrial partnerships under DCP23.
Ministry of Defence
49
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
When we discussed the current state of the Army with the Chief of the General Staff, he acknowledged issues existed but pointed to the work which he had done to “mobilise the Army so that it would be ready to fight with what it has in the course of the …
Government response. The government reiterates its ongoing recapitalisation programme, new platforms, and commitments under DCP23 to prioritize lethality, stockpiles, and industrial partnerships, in line with the Chief of the General Staff's previous statements about mobilizing the Army.
Ministry of Defence
50
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Despite these actions, the Minister for the Armed Forces acknowledged that the “complete renewal of the British Army’s fighting echelon is in order to sustain our ability to put a British Division into the NATO fight under a British-led corps” would not be realised until “ the two Armoured Infantry …
Government response. The government outlines its ongoing recapitalisation programme and modernisation efforts across all domains, encompassing new platforms, stockpiles, and industrial partnerships, as its strategy to address Army renewal.
Ministry of Defence
51
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
We have been told that the Navy is undergoing a “maritime renaissance”85 and that the UK is moving towards a maritime strategy (which prioritises a naval response above land or air capabilities).86 The Chief of the Defence Staff told us that the Royal Navy made up 20–25% of NATO maritime …
Government response. The government addresses concerns about Navy capability gaps by detailing an ongoing recapitalisation programme, commitments under DCP23, and specific enhancements like the Naval Strike Missile, which are intended to transform and improve the Armed Forces' capabilities.
Ministry of Defence
52
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Dr Rowan Allport of the Human Security Centre produced a detailed list of what he perceived to be Royal Navy readiness gaps and capability shortfalls which included: • Delays to the Type 26 frigate programme which have resulted in the Type 23 frigate force being run on far past its …
Government response. The government states it has a significant recapitalisation programme underway across all domains, bringing new platforms into service, prioritising lethality, and implementing a new Integrated Procurement Model to address capability shortfalls.
Ministry of Defence
53
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
These gaps are compounded by the efforts which have previously been made to improve the availability of Royal Navy vessels. Nick Childs described these as “in part, robbing Peter to pay Paul within the fleet in terms of stores, key equipment to cannibalise and sometimes personnel. It will be a …
Government response. The government states it has a significant recapitalisation programme underway across all domains, bringing new platforms into service, prioritising lethality, and implementing a new Integrated Procurement Model to address capability shortfalls.
Ministry of Defence
54
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In response to questions on naval readiness, the Chief of the Defence Staff told us that the Royal Navy was “on the up” with significant transformation between 2020 and 2030 as it “becomes a carrier Navy again, that alongside the Air Force goes from fourth generation jets to fifth generation …
Government response. The government states it has a significant recapitalisation programme underway across all domains, bringing new platforms into service, prioritising lethality, and implementing a new Integrated Procurement Model to address capability shortfalls.
Ministry of Defence
55
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
However, both First Sea Lord and the Director Force Generation of the Royal Navy (Rear Admiral Steve Moorhouse) acknowledged that there were further steps to be taken, in terms of maintenance of vessels,103 both increasing lethality and managing stockpiles (including working closely with the supply chain to ensure they “understand …
Government response. The government states it has a significant recapitalisation programme underway across all domains, bringing new platforms into service, prioritising lethality, and implementing a new Integrated Procurement Model to address capability shortfalls.
Ministry of Defence
56
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The difficulty of crewing naval vessels has resulted in consideration being given to removing some ships from the Fleet.107 The Royal Navy currently has two amphibious assault ships (HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion) which cycle in availability with one placed into maintenance and extended readiness whilst the other is held …
Government response. The government welcomes the decision to maintain the Albion-class vessels in operational service until their out-of-service dates in the 2030s.
Ministry of Defence
58
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Human Security Centre again produced a list of outstanding or near-future capability, resource and readiness shortfalls which the RAF faces: • A shortfall in combat aircraft numbers. The retirement of 30 Tranche 1 Typhoon aircraft in 2025 (with the majority of their airframe lives remaining) will leave only 107 …
Government response. The government explains that aircraft are retired when no longer cost-effective to maintain due to obsolescence or compliance costs, and that components from retired aircraft are used to maintain the operational fleet, which applies to Hawk and Typhoon Tranche 1.
Ministry of Defence
67
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
When we asked each of the single service heads what shortfalls their Forces were carrying, all mentioned stockpiles as an area of significant (current) concern.135 The high rate of consumption of munitions in the war in Ukraine has exceeded the assumptions (and therefore the quantities held) by most Western forces. …
Government response. The government has allocated £1.95Bn from the 2023 Spring Budget and placed nearly £1Bn in contracts to build munitions and medical stockpiles and replenish UK stocks of equipment, directly addressing concerns about current stockpile levels.
Ministry of Defence
68
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Although all of the Chiefs had pointed to events in Ukraine as the catalyst for investment in stockpiles, General Lord Houghton and General Sir Nick Carter both told us that stockpiles had been reducing for a number of years before the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.139 We have also heard …
Government response. The government has allocated £1.95 billion to address long-standing challenges in defence, specifically using this funding to build munitions and medical stockpiles, including significant purchases of 155mm munitions and Storm Shadow, and has developed a strategy for munitions.
Ministry of Defence
70
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Beyond securing investment, there are further difficulties in replenishing stockpiles at pace. We heard from Professor Michael Clarke that the companies responsible for supplying precision weapons to UK Armed Forces have had small production runs for some time which there are challenges in scaling up, partly because of the consolidation …
Government response. The government outlines funding for munitions and medical stockpiles and commits to transforming its partnership with industry, engaging earlier in strategic conversations to create a more resilient industrial base and improve supply chain capacity, alongside implementing a new Integrated Procurement …
Ministry of Defence
71
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In our March 2023 Report ‘Special Relationships? The US, UK and NATO’ we highlighted the issue of industrial capacity in relation to supply chain capacity and a lack of skilled workers.152 We were told by Government that: Further developing strategic alignment with industry will mean that together we can better …
Government response. The government details funding for stockpiles and commits to a transformed partnership with industry, including earlier engagement and a new Integrated Procurement Model, to build a more resilient industrial base and address supply chain and skills challenges, aligning with previous …
Ministry of Defence
74
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In January 2024, we took evidence on Army recruitment from Capita with which the Army has a contract to administer recruitment services.156 We heard that in 2022– 23, Capita recruited 68% of the target number of people that the Army said it required to maintain the workforce. In 2023–24, it …
Government response. The government acknowledges recruitment and retention as absolute priorities, detailing pay increases for Armed Forces personnel and referencing measures from the Haythornthwaite Review and Defence Command Paper 2023 to address staffing challenges, including establishing a new Transformation Directorate.
Ministry of Defence
75
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The MOD publicly concedes that for every eight service personnel who leaves, it currently recruits five people, although we understand the situation may have deteriorated further.159
Government response. The government acknowledges recruitment and retention as absolute priorities and has introduced pay increases, explored 'zig-zag' careers, and established a new Transformation Directorate to address staffing challenges and improve the flow of personnel.
Ministry of Defence
82
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Professor Justin Bronk told us that the IR23 and DCP23 had demonstrated “the broad challenges and ambitions that the UK is faced with” but had given no indication of priority.175 We made the same criticism (which the Government rejected) of the 2021 strategies.176 This lack of prioritisation has resulted in …
Government response. The government acknowledges the importance of prioritising resources and outlines existing mechanisms, such as continuous review with NATO allies, balancing the Global Operate programme with DCP23 outcomes, the Capability Readiness Assessment Framework (CRAF), and the Defence Design review, which aim …
Ministry of Defence
86
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Readiness is determined by the number of trained personnel and viable equipment the Armed Forces have available to deploy and sustain on operations determined by ministerial priorities. However, whilst the size of the Forces and the equipment available to them is primarily controlled through budget allocations, policy changes can also …
Government response. The government recognizes the importance of ensuring the Armed Forces have the right people and skills, committing to increasing recruitment and improving retention through measures such as pay increases, zig-zag careers, and the establishment of a new Transformation Directorate to …
Ministry of Defence
87
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Haythornthwaite Review ‘Agency and agility: Incentivising people in a new era’, was an independent study commissioned by the MOD and published in June 2023. The Review looked at a number of areas where recruitment and retention could possibly be improved within the UK Armed Forces. 183 Q349; 427 184 …
Government response. The government acknowledges the need for the right people and skills, outlining priorities for increasing recruitment and improving retention. It highlights measures from the Haythornthwaite Review and Defence Command Paper 2023, such as pay increases, zig-zag careers, and a new …
Ministry of Defence
88
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Defence Command Paper Refresh (DCP23) identified the areas of the Haythornthwaite Review that Defence would take forward as a priority: • greater career flexibility through a Spectrum of Service, which will enable Defence to be better at retaining and surging talent across the whole force. This will include increasing fluidity …
Government response. The government reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the Armed Forces have the right people and skills, outlining ongoing priorities such as increasing recruitment, improving retention, introducing zig-zag careers, reviewing pay and progression, and establishing a new Transformation Directorate, all of …
Ministry of Defence
90
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
When we took evidence from Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, he welcomed the proposals in DCP23 but told us that he would have liked to have seen actual targets and descriptions of how the MOD was planning to achieve them: 189 Ministry of Defence, Agency and Agility: Incentivising people in a …
Government response. The government states that a formal response to the Haythornthwaite Review's 67 accepted recommendations will be published in 2024, outlining next steps for delivery and implementation, including a broad roadmap for recruitment and retention and regular reporting of key indicators …
Ministry of Defence
91
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In Autumn 2023 the Chief of the Defence Staff told us that the Secretary of State “will continue to study the Review’s 67 complex, interconnected recommendations and make a more detailed formal response later in the year”.195 At the time of writing, this has yet to happen.
Government response. The government confirms that a formal response to the Haythornthwaite Review's 67 recommendations, which were accepted in the Defence Command Paper refresh in 2023, will be published during 2024. This response will detail next steps for delivery and implementation, including …
Ministry of Defence
96
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
General Lord Houghton told us that the UK Armed Forces have maintained high levels of readiness for standing commitments (to domestic security and overseas non- discretionary tasks) and contingent commitments (commitments to allies and alliances such as the commitment to deploy forces to NATO at varying levels of readiness). Therefore …
Government response. The government refers to Defence Command Paper 2023, which outlines a clear purpose for Defence and a program of modernisation and mobilisation to address capability shortfalls, enhance lethality across the Royal Navy, Army, and RAF, and increase operational productivity.
Ministry of Defence
100
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
When we raised the prospect of specialisation with the Minister for the Armed Forces, he suggested that the greatest challenge would be coming to a consensus on what the UK might specialise in.212 He acknowledged that due to the current period of “great geopolitical uncertainty and instability” the UK Armed …
Government response. The government reaffirms its commitment to providing NATO with a full spectrum of defence capabilities, including nuclear and offensive cyber, arguing this comprehensive approach underpins both its NATO contributions and wider global hard-power projection. It highlights the dual utility of …
Ministry of Defence
101
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
A further example was presented at our sessions with the Secretary of State and senior MOD officials, when we questioned the utility of a contract to procure the Chinook CH-47. The project had already been delayed and (as a result of that delay and inflationary pressures) had increased in cost.214 …
Government response. The government has introduced a new Integrated Procurement Model to address issues of over-complex, over-budget, and delayed programmes by ensuring earlier expert assurance and empowering subject matter experts.
Ministry of Defence
102
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Professor Bronk told us the choice was stark: either sufficiently resource the UK Armed Forces to allow them to have “full spectrum forces that can concurrently provide a reference force as a backbone of European NATO, while also doing expeditionary things for signalling, diplomacy and all sorts around the world” …
Government response. The government reaffirms its commitment to providing NATO with a full spectrum of defence capabilities, including nuclear and offensive cyber, arguing this comprehensive approach underpins both its NATO contributions and wider global hard-power projection. It highlights the dual utility of …
Ministry of Defence
103
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Professor Chalmers thought it unlikely there would be an increase in defence spending anytime soon given the UK’s poor economic performance, as any increase would have to come either from cuts in other government spending or an increase of taxation.218 The Minister for the Armed Forces recognised that the funding …
Government response. The government states that the MOD's budget has increased to over £50 billion, projected to rise further, and that it is prioritising transforming the workforce model to attract and retain talent. It highlights recent pay increases for junior service personnel …
Ministry of Defence
110
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The UK Armed Forces have sufficient Readiness for operations—they can carry out standing operations and contingent commitments. However, the breadth of their commitments is having an inevitable impact, in terms of budget requirements, subsequent constraints on training and the retention of personnel. It also appears to be delaying the development …
Government response. The government responds by detailing existing efforts and newly published strategies (DCP23, Haythornthwaite Review) to recapitalise, modernise, and improve the readiness, lethality, and personnel retention of the Armed Forces.
Ministry of Defence
111
Recommendation
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Despite the Secretary of State’s insistence that the UK Armed Forces still have sufficient capacity to deploy in response to world events, we remain to be convinced. We are concerned that the breadth of ministerial requirements is in danger of pushing the Armed Forces far beyond what is sustainable. We …
Government response. The government states it continuously reviews priorities with NATO, balances programmes based on DCP23, and uses the Capability Readiness Assessment Framework (CRAF) to inform investment and prioritisation. It also mentions an ongoing review of the Defence Operating Model to better …
Ministry of Defence
113
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Strategic readiness is described by the Minister for the Armed Forces as “the readiness of the nation to bring to bear all the nation’s strength to compete with an adversary”.227
Government response. The government explains that strategic resilience is maintained through the ability to mobilize military resources, with Reserves and the Strategic Reserve playing a central role. It adds that the Armed Forces are integral to countering threats and supporting civil authorities, …
Ministry of Defence
114
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Describing the key components of strategic readiness, the Minister for the Armed Forces highlighted the importance of the industrial base and its ability to increase its capacity; enablers which project and sustain the force (not just in terms of equipment and warfighters but also medical services, signallers, logisticians and engineers …
Government response. The government is implementing a 'transformed partnership with industry' to build a more resilient industrial base, and is prioritising stockpiles, munitions, enablers, and storage facilities to enhance strategic readiness.
Ministry of Defence
116
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
As well as addressing its own resilience and readiness issues, the MOD is involved in drawing up the national defence plan which will address the wider issues in strategic resilience and readiness. Initial work was carried out for the Defence Command Paper Refresh (DCP23) and the intention is for this …
Government response. The government confirms that MOD has consistently maintained national defence plans, recently consolidated its contributions, and works collaboratively with other departments, welcoming continued scrutiny of these ongoing efforts.
Ministry of Defence
117
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Defence Command Paper Refresh (DCP23) looked at the requirements for strategic resilience in its final chapter. In relation to the defence of the homeland, the MOD highlighted areas where Defence plays a critical role, including the policing of national airspace (through the constant provision of Quick Reaction Alert aircraft) …
Government response. The government lists military outputs and non-discretionary tasks related to strategic resilience, confirms the importance of Reserves, and reiterates the Armed Forces' ongoing role in civil contingencies and national security.
Ministry of Defence
118
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The DCPR23 committed the MOD to working with partners across Government to plan and test how vulnerabilities could be identified and to work together to exercise the systems required in a time of war. It states that Defence will “support a wider Governmental effort to better anticipate, assess, prevent, mitigate, …
Government response. The government states it has increased transparency in the National Risk Register and that departmental responsibilities for national defence planning will follow the Cabinet Office's Resilience Directorate approach for inter-departmental collaboration on risk.
Ministry of Defence
119
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Finally, the DCP23 highlights the work carried out by Defence to “identify and mitigate a range of economic security risks” including the screening of investment in defence- relevant sectors of the UK economy. Work is ongoing to establish how Defence can stop adversaries from gaining specialist defence knowledge through research …
Government response. The government refers to the Defence Command Paper 2023, which addresses the identification and mitigation of economic security risks, access to critical minerals, and securing the defence supply chain, implying that work is already underway.
Ministry of Defence
120
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
External to the DCP23 process, the MOD has also been engaged in Exercise AGILE STANCE which is a five-year programme originally set up by General Sir Nick Carter to “up [the UK Armed Forces’] game in terms of what our readiness looked like and be realistic about it” by exercising …
Government response. The government refers to the Defence Command Paper 2023, implying that ongoing work already addresses the exercise of the Services’ ability to disperse from their bases in order to maintain survivability in the event of an attack.
Ministry of Defence
121
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Chief of the Defence Staff told us that the Reserve was also being mobilised under Exercise Agile Stance with a series of mobilisation exercises of Active Reserve elements taking place across each of the single Services, between January and March 2024 and in September 2024 which will “inform and …
Government response. The government reaffirms the critical role of Reserves and the Strategic Reserve in national resilience and civil contingencies, highlighting their importance for mobilising military resources and sustaining warfighting capabilities.
Ministry of Defence
122
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Defence industry plays an integral role in Armed Forces readiness. The First Sea Lord explained that the UK Armed Forces rely heavily on the defence industry to deliver “world-leading capability to deal with those who may wish us harm”.242 Nick Childs and Professor Justin Bronk both highlighted that contracts with …
Government response. The government states it will implement a transformed partnership with industry through DCP23 commitments, engaging earlier in strategic conversations to create a more resilient, reliable, and adaptable industrial base.
Ministry of Defence
123
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Despite the acknowledged reliance on industry, both General Lord Houghton and General Sir Nick Carter questioned whether the relationship between the MOD and industry was effective in supporting strategic readiness. General Lord Houghton told us that despite numerous reviews on defence procurement, the relationship between Defence and the defence industry …
Government response. The government is reforming the defence acquisition system with a new Integrated Procurement Model and committing to earlier engagement with industry under DCP23 to create a more resilient industrial base.
Ministry of Defence
124
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In 2023, we examined the organisation responsible for the majority of MOD procurement (Defence Equipment & Support).248 Pointing to the conclusion by the Public Accounts Committee that defence equipment “arrives into service many years late and significantly over-budget, with depressing regularity”, something which means that “neither taxpayers nor our Armed …
Government response. The government is reforming the defence acquisition system with a new Integrated Procurement Model, which includes earlier expert assurance and empowerment of subject matter experts, to prevent over-complex and over-budget programmes.
Ministry of Defence
125
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Professor Clarke warned us in April 2023 that the implications of the Ukraine war were “taking time to filter through to Governments.”251 One of the most obvious examples of this is the length of time it took to conclude a contract for an increase in production of 155 mm artillery …
Government response. The government allocated £1.95Bn and placed £1Bn in contracts to build munitions stockpiles, including 155mm rounds, and has developed a strategy for munitions based on lessons from the Ukraine war.
Ministry of Defence
126
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
When we took evidence on DE&S, we heard from industry that it wanted: long- term consistency on required capabilities; earlier engagement in the requirement setting process, multi-year budgets; an improved (and consistent) social value framework; and decisions made with reference made to imperatives other than lowest up-front cost (such as …
Government response. The government's new Integrated Procurement Model aims for earlier expert assurance, empowerment of subject matter experts, and spiral development, alongside a transformed partnership with industry that includes earlier strategic engagement to build resilience.
Ministry of Defence
128
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Our Report did not cover issues with the outsourcing of Army recruitment as that is (currently) a contract managed by the Army rather than DE&S. However, we raised it and the proposed future tri-service recruitment contract with the Secretary of State and the Minister for the Armed Forces. The Secretary …
Government response. The government accepted all 67 recommendations from the Haythornthwaite Review addressing recruitment and retention, with a formal response outlining next steps and a broad roadmap to be published in 2024.
Ministry of Defence
129
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Shortly after our Report was published, the DCP23 was produced by the Government. It announced that key lessons from Ukraine had resulted in the following conclusions: • The pace of battlefield innovation means that decades-long acquisition programmes and upgrades are no longer suitable—instead simpler platforms which can be upgraded at …
Government response. The government highlighted its new Integrated Procurement Model and transformed partnership with industry, which aligns with the DCP23 conclusions by focusing on earlier expert assurance, driving pace through spiral development, and creating a resilient industrial base.
Ministry of Defence
130
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Many of our recommendations were adopted within the DCP23. That document commits Defence to engaging at an earlier stage in strategic conversations with industry about requirements and developing relationships with key Defence Executives. This should allow Defence and industry to work together to address issues such as “availability of critical …
Government response. The government reiterated its commitments from DCP23, detailing how the new Integrated Procurement Model supports earlier engagement with industry, expert assurance, and spiral development to build a resilient industrial base.
Ministry of Defence
131
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In December 2023, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) told us that there had been recognition of the importance of trying “to make sure that our pipeline of munitions is always on, rather than boom and bust” and that the MOD were now working with …
Government response. The government highlighted its new Integrated Procurement Model and transformed partnership with industry, which aims for earlier strategic engagement, expert assurance, and spiral development to create a resilient industrial base and align with long-term commitments.
Ministry of Defence
132
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
As well as earlier engagement on requirements, the acquisition process is moving from one focused on specifying exact requirements to one which focuses on the ‘spiral development’ of capabilities—this will allow for the iterative development of capabilities to keep pace with innovation on the battlefield whilst also ensuring that these …
Government response. The government confirmed that its new Integrated Procurement Model emphasizes earlier engagement and spiral development of capabilities, aiming for iterative improvements and a resilient industrial base.
Ministry of Defence
133
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In order to ensure that Defence can replenish and increase stockpiles of munitions, spares and operational supplies, the DCP23 recognises that industry needs to have robust and resilient supply chains which have assured access to “key materials, components and 263 Ministry of Defence, Defence’s response to a more contested and …
Government response. The government committed £1.95 billion from the 2023 Spring Budget to build munitions and medical stockpiles and support critical activities, including supply chain mapping. It detailed significant investments in various munitions purchases and confirmed £1 billion in contracts to replenish …
Ministry of Defence
134
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The DCP23 commits Defence to prioritising time within its acquisition system (within the parameters of time, cost and performance) as: driving pace is critical–even if it forces us to increase our risk tolerance elsewhere. Our ambition is to reduce radically the average time from the identification of a military need …
Government response. The government reiterated its commitment to prioritising speed in the acquisition system through the new Integrated Procurement Model, which involves earlier expert assurance, empowering subject matter experts, and using 'spiral' development to reduce programme complexity and delivery times.
Ministry of Defence
135
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
It also states that Defence intends to set “a maximum five-year commitment for acquisition programmes, with a maximum three-year commitment for digital programmes” although it acknowledges that the MOD procures a wide range of equipment, goods and services and so will need to “tailor our approach to reflect the risk …
Government response. The government states that the new Integrated Procurement Model, which involves earlier expert assurance and empowered subject matter experts, is designed to ensure future military programs are delivered efficiently, avoiding past challenges of over-complexity and delays, and will incorporate 'spiral' …
Ministry of Defence
136
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Both Commander, Strategic Command and the Minister for the Armed Forces were at pains to emphasise that this was a real change in approach. Commander, Strategic Command told us that Defence needed to look at long-term pipelines to supply the munitions and stockpile capabilities which meant moving away from a …
Government response. The government affirmed its commitment to a transformed partnership with industry and a new Integrated Procurement Model to create a more resilient industrial base, engaging earlier in strategic conversations to avoid previous challenges of over-complex and delayed programmes.
Ministry of Defence
137
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Minister was clear that current procurement processes were no longer viable as a result of the pace of innovation.277 He acknowledged that this was a complete paradigm shift and a “frankly nascent part of policy making”.278 He warned that no private business has a peacetime obligation to maintain unused …
Government response. The government highlighted its new Integrated Procurement Model, a system designed to reform military procurement with earlier expert assurance, empowered subject matter experts, and 'spiral' development to avoid over-complex, over-budget, and delayed programmes.
Ministry of Defence
139
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Government’s approach to procurement reform is not yet finalised and we have heard many promises of change before. The MOD has shown willing to engage with us as it finalises this approach. We welcome this engagement, but are not yet in a position to reach a view on the …
Government response. The government confirmed that details of the new Integrated Procurement Model were announced by the Minister for Defence Procurement on 28 February 2024, prior to the Easter recess, and a supporting document is publicly available.
Ministry of Defence
141
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed the threat— demonstrating that Russia has both the capability and intent to prosecute a war in Europe. This requires a wholesale shift in approach towards warfighting resilience both in the UK and Allies.
Government response. The government agreed that Russia's invasion changed the threat, requiring a wholesale shift, and outlined its response via the 2023 Defence Command Paper, a sustained campaigning approach, Euro-Atlantic focus, NATO commitments, and reliance on Reserves and a Strategic Reserve for …
Ministry of Defence
142
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
It is a matter of national pride that whenever the Armed Forces are asked to carry out a task, they will find a way. It is to the credit of the Armed Forces that they have sustained this effort for so long. But overtasking has both a personal cost for …
Government response. The government acknowledged challenges like overtasking, recruitment shortfalls, and industrial capacity, outlining its strategy through DCP23, increased budget, and a transformed industry partnership. It is prioritising workforce model transformation with improved career opportunities, easier re-joining, pay increases, and a new …
Ministry of Defence
143
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Personnel need time to recover from operations, and time to train and develop new skills. But the demand of operations makes that harder to achieve. It is unsurprising that more people are leaving the Forces than joining them. All three services have growing capability shortfalls—these have been a feature of …
Government response. The government acknowledged the challenges of operational demands on personnel, retention, and capability shortfalls, committing to implement all 67 recommendations from the Haythornthwaite Review. A formal response outlining delivery and implementation steps for recruitment and retention will be published in …
Ministry of Defence
144
Recommendation
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Government must act to break this cycle, and do so swiftly, to ensure that the UK is ready not only to face the challenges of today, but also to face the storm clouds on the horizon. Ready for War? 53 Conclusions and recommendations What is Readiness?
Government response. The government agrees the threat has changed and states it is already embedding a sustained campaigning approach and leveraging existing commitments to NATO, reserves, and strategic reserves to ensure readiness.
Ministry of Defence
1
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The protection of sensitive information plays a vital role in the security of this country. However, the Ministry of Defence has become demonstrably less transparent over the past decade. The fact that the Minister and senior military personnel did not realise that information which is now classified was once widely …
Government response. The government acknowledges the need for greater transparency regarding planning assumptions and readiness, immediately releasing 'headlines' from current Defence Planning Assumptions (DPA23) and committing to release as much information as possible from the next iteration.
Ministry of Defence
2
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Readiness is about acceptable risk. The decisions on what risks to take are ultimately political (based partly on military advice) rather than solely military or parliamentary decisions. Ministers will also inevitably need to reach judgments about the availability of information regarding threats and the UK’s readiness to respond to those …
Government response. The government committed to establishing a regular annual open session for the committee to meet with Ministers and Chiefs of the Single Services to scrutinize readiness decisions and risk management.
Ministry of Defence
4
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
In the absence of adequate official information, public and parliamentary scrutiny of and debate about UK armed forces readiness currently relies on media reporting and corridor conversations, leading to suspicion that the forces are less ready than in fact they are. It does not need to be like this. The …
Government response. The government explained the evolution of Defence Planning Assumptions into classified documents but committed to enhancing transparency and has released a version of the 2023 DPAs.
Ministry of Defence
10
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The UK Armed Forces have sufficient Readiness for operations—they can carry out standing operations and contingent commitments. However, the breadth of their commitments is having an inevitable impact, in terms of budget requirements, subsequent constraints on training and the retention of personnel. It also appears to be delaying the development …
Government response. The government responded by referencing the Defence Command Paper 2023 (DCP23), which outlines its strategy to protect the nation and enhance lethality of forces through initiatives like the Naval Strike Missile, Army deep fire capabilities, and RAF drone technology, alongside …
Ministry of Defence
13
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
We welcome the Government’s decision to assess what the country would need to do to maintain a warfighting effort. However, it is worrying that this work had not already been undertaken. The national defence plan is still a work in progress but we intend to maintain ongoing scrutiny of the …
Government response. The government stated that the MOD has always maintained defence plans and has recently consolidated contributions and improved command, control, and operational planning, and is currently considering capability options to sustain warfighting.
Ministry of Defence
14
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Government’s approach to procurement reform is not yet finalised and we have heard many promises of change before. The MOD has shown willing to engage with us as it finalises this approach. We welcome this engagement, but are not yet in a position to reach a view on the …
Government response. The government committed to and has now delivered details of the new Integrated Procurement Model, which were set out in an oral statement on 28 February 2024 with a supporting document made available.
Ministry of Defence
16
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed the threat— demonstrating that Russia has both the capability and intent to prosecute a war in Europe. This requires a wholesale shift in approach towards warfighting resilience both in the UK and Allies.
Government response. The government agreed that the threat has fundamentally changed due to Russia's invasion and described its ongoing efforts, including updating the Defence Command Paper and embedding a campaigning approach, to maintain warfighting resilience.
Ministry of Defence
17
Conclusion
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
It is a matter of national pride that whenever the Armed Forces are asked to carry out a task, they will find a way. It is to the credit of the Armed Forces that they have 56 Ready for War? sustained this effort for so long. But overtasking has both …
Government response. The government agrees with the changed threat context and references the Defence Command Paper 2023, outlining existing strategic ambitions to protect the nation. It details ongoing efforts by the Armed Forces, Reserves, and Strategic Reserve to meet operational and civil …
Ministry of Defence
19
Recommendation
First Report - Ready for War?
Accepted
The Government must act to break this cycle, and do so swiftly, to ensure that the UK is ready not only to face the challenges of today, but also to face the storm clouds on the horizon. (Paragraph 144) Ready for War? 57
Government response. The government agrees the threat environment has changed and asserts that it is already responding by embedding a sustained campaigning approach, maintaining strong NATO commitments, and developing strategic reserves and civil contingencies support.
Ministry of Defence