"The time it took to send a single destroyer to Cyprus in the form of HMS Dragon focused minds on Britain's military readiness and capabilities."
"Ministers' response has been to say they are wrestling with decades of underinvestment by previous governments when it comes to defence and are now embarking on the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war."
"From 155,000 troops in 1991, with nine armoured and four infantry brigades, last year its strength was 75,000 troops in two divisions, with two armoured and three infantry brigades."
"The army has suffered the most because it's been pulled in the most directions and it's really struggling."
The UK's armed forces face challenges highlighted by the Gulf war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The slow deployment of HMS Dragon to Cyprus raised concerns about military readiness. Former Nato secretary general George Robertson criticized Keir Starmer for complacency regarding defense. The government acknowledges decades of underinvestment and plans the largest defense spending increase since the Cold War, targeting 3.5% of GDP by 2035. The army has significantly shrunk from 155,000 troops in 1991 to 75,000, with analysts attributing this to Treasury hostility and prioritization of naval and air investments.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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