Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 47
47
Accepted
Army's heavy armoured vehicle capability confirmed to have serious deficiencies, with vehicles being old.
Conclusion
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 to the Chief of the Defence Staff, he told us that: We have a warfighting division that we put forward to NATO, and we recognise that we need to strengthen that division. That is what is in existence now, and we will strengthen it even further. … I have to be careful when it comes to specific numbers, but I absolutely acknowledge, on the Challengers that we provided to Ukraine and the AS-90s, that we had, on 74 As outlined in the 2021 Integrated Review and the subsequent Defence Command Paper. 75 Human Security Centre (AFR0004) 76 Defence Committee, Fifth Report of Session 2019–21, Obsolescent and outgunned: the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability, HC 659 Ready for War? 21 paper, quite large fleets, but the number of tanks and batteries of guns that we could put forward with confidence was lower than we anticipated. … We accept that the vehicles are really old. We are investing like crazy in our warfighting division to improve it for 2030. It is still a warfighting division; it is not the one that we want.77
Government Response Summary
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.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The UK already has a significant recapitalisation programme underway across all domains. Defence has new platforms that are in service, or are coming into service, which will completely transform the Armed Forces’ capability. Through commitments made in DCP23, Defence is prioritising the things that will make those capabilities more lethal and ready, such as stockpiles, munitions, and enablers including storage facilities and our transformed partnership with industry, where we will engage much earlier in strategic conversations to create a more resilient, reliable, and adaptable industrial base. This is highlighted in the new Integrated Procurement Model–a system that will see earlier expert assurance of future military programmes to ensure they will deliver for UK forces on the frontline. Our programme of modernisation and mobilisation of conventional forces is addressing shortfalls in capabilities where we cannot continue to maintain risk. The lethality of our Forces will be enhanced; The Royal Navy continues to develop lethality to complement its carrier and amphibious strike capabilities. It has bought the Naval Strike Missile capability at pace allowing precision strike on land and at sea. The Army is enhancing its deep fire capabilities, to counter and hit precise deeper targets. The RAF is continuing to evolve and innovate, including counter-UAS technology and initial Swarming Drones capabilities. We have published our drone strategy. And MOD is doing more to increase operational productivity by rebalancing investment in capabilities’ availability and sustainment.