Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 30
30
Were the British Army to have to fight a peer adversary—a euphemism for Russia— in...
Conclusion
Were the British Army to have to fight a peer adversary—a euphemism for Russia— in Eastern Europe in the next few years, whilst our soldiers would undoubtedly remain amongst the finest in the world, they would, disgracefully, be forced to go into battle in a combination of obsolescent or even obsolete armoured vehicles, most of them at least 30 years old or more, with poor mechanical reliability, very heavily outgunned by more modern missile and artillery systems and chronically lacking in adequate air defence. They would have only a handful of long-delayed, new generation vehicles, gradually trickling into the inventory, to replace them. (Paragraph 109) Obsolescent and outgunned: the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability 59
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
. The Department agrees and acknowledges that the technical advantage of the UK over potential adversaries has diminished over the past two decades. The UK and other allies are now challenged by adversary investment in capabilities designed to counter our strengths and target our weaknesses. However, the threat platforms we are most likely to 6 Deliver of the Protected Mobility fleet, upgraded armour packs, new hulls for CVR(T), Vallon, small arms such as encounter are of almost identical age to ours, if not older. Our current AFV fleet remains fit for purpose against the most likely threats but must now evolve and adapt to this is a key aspect of the proposed Land Industrial Strategy. The current modernisation programme will deliver competitive advantage. The issue of our peer adversaries’ massed, long range fires is being addressed through a series of programmes to counter the threat posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems and their linked long range fires systems, as well as our ability to conduct precision and massed strikes against relevant targets. The recent Defence Command Paper released as part of the Integrated Review further expands on the Integrated Operating Concept (published in 2020) which will allow our forces to be more versatile and flexible in delivering a range of tasks in the continuum between ‘operate’ and ‘warfight.’ The Department wishes to highlight that one of the core tenets of this approach is being ‘allied by design’, building defence capability with our NATO (and other) allied nations. We will work with our allies to mutually reinforce resilience from shared threats, this will be vital. Conventional military capabilities are advancing in line with rapid technological change. Several states are developing land systems including anti-armour missiles and artillery, that can challenge the capabilities of many NATO nations in range and lethality, this is recognised and the Department through the Transformation fund and the recent announcements in greater investment in Research & Development is identifying the ways and means not only to counter threats but also to develop more agile, interconnected, and data-driven capabilities of the future, targeting generational leaps in capability development to outpace our adversaries. The pace of technological change will require the Department to constantly adapt, experiment and take risks, to preserve strategic advantage. Through this approach, advantage through Science and Technology to deliver national aims whilst developing UK prosperity through the Land Industrial Strategy. The Department’s intent is to evolve from a force that is primarily designed for the contingency of a major conflict and warfighting, to one that is also designed for permanent and persistent global engagement.