A recent annual review conducted by the Defence Committee in the UK has concluded that the exhausted British Armed Forces are not ready for a war with Russia. The committee’s report warns that the British government will never achieve military or strategic preparedness without urgent reforms to address the recruitment crisis and significantly enhance its arsenal of weapons and ammunition.
The review follows earlier warnings from former defense ministers that the armed forces have been depleted since 2010 and would run out of capabilities after just two months of engagement with their adversaries.
In a separate development, Britain is set to launch a ballistic missile of the “Trident 2 D5” type, according to The Telegraph. This launch will be carried out from the nuclear submarine “Vanguard,” with the test aimed at ensuring the effectiveness of the missile system.
The newspaper highlights concerns regarding the production of 155mm artillery shells, a critical ammunition type, as only one machine in the United Kingdom can manufacture them. Furthermore, the British forces lack a sufficient stockpile of these shells.
Additionally, the report indicates that only five soldiers are assigned for every eight who leave the army, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Simultaneously, a report from the Policy Exchange research center raises concerns about potential security threats to the UK from Russian, Chinese, and Iranian entities present in the Republic of Ireland. The report accuses Dublin of exploiting the European Defense to an alarming extent and suggests that the UK expand its aerial and naval presence in Northern Ireland to counter the growing Russian threat on its western flank.
The report underscores the severe maritime threat posed by Russian tactics targeting undersea networks and pipelines, along with the presence of Russian warships.