LONDON – British armed forces need more funding to stay prepared for apossible confrontation with Russia, UK Chief of the General Staff NickCarter will say in a speech later on Monday.
In his speech, which has received approval from Defense Secretary GavinWilliamson, Carter is expected to warn about the threats from what he callsRussia’s “campaign of cyber espionage and disruption.”
“The time to address these threats is now — we cannot afford to sit back,”he will say, according to unnamed military officials.
“Our ability to pre-empt or respond to threats will be eroded if we don’tkeep up with our adversaries,” the general will add. “We must take noticeof what is going on around us or our ability to take action will bemassively constrained.”
“Speed of decision making, speed of deployment, and modern capability areessential if we wish to provide realistic deterrence,” Carter will say.
Williamson and other military officials have been warning Prime MinisterTheresa May against implementing a series of cost-saving measures thatwould cut the army’s full-time strength to 70,000 soldiers.
May’s government is also considering delaying an upgrade of tanks andarmored vehicles and reducing the number of new Ajax mini-tanks.
The austerity plans might include taking away nine warships and 100helicopters from the Royal Navy and Air Force.link>
Chief of British military capability, General Mark Poffley, told the Houseof Commons in late November that rising costs might force the military toreduce its order of 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets.
In mid-December, members of the Defense Select Committee in the House ofCommons said they “seriously doubt” the defense ministry was able to fundcontracts for new warships, fighter jets and other military equipment.
This is while Williamson has made it clear that the UK needs more militaryspending to deliver on its commitments as a member of the NATO militaryalliance.
Britain is a main contributor to NATO’s long-running military buildup onRussia’s Western borders.