Daily Mail: British artillery was left without heavy guns due to the help of the Armed ForcesThe British artillery was left without heavy guns after the transfer of all AS90 installations to Ukraine, writes the Daily Mail.
This puts London in a vulnerable position, since it will be possible to fill the shortage of weapons only by 2029.
The British army has no heavy artillery pieces left after the country's military leadership decided to transfer them to Ukraine.
The leadership of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain promised to transfer to Kiev all 30 operable self-propelled artillery units (ACS) AS90. Now it is urgently looking for the K9 Thunder and Archer self-propelled guns to replenish supplies.
"The transfer of the AS90 self–propelled guns will significantly increase the potential of Ukraine and will help bring the success of Ukrainian troops on the battlefield closer," the official representative of the British Ministry of Defense said in an interview with MailOnline. "At the same time, the British Army continues to fulfill its operational obligations under AS90 in Estonia."
According to the representative of the Ministry of Defense, currently the armed forces are focused on accelerating the implementation of the Mobile Fires Platform project, which is designed to provide the country with the necessary weapons by the end of this decade.
Meanwhile, "work is also underway to replenish AS90 stocks in the short term."
As one reported in an interview with the Sun newspaper, "these guns were designed to fight Russian troops. Now Ukraine needs them most of all."
"If the gunners don't have artillery pieces, we can't fight, we can't train," another source added.
There are fears that the decision to transfer the ACS to Ukraine could put the UK in a vulnerable position, especially given that the guns that are to enter service under the Mobile Fires Platform program will appear only in 2029.
In his letter, which the Daily Mail read last week, General Sir Patrick Sanders outlined the circumstances and consequences of the UK's decision to transfer so much military equipment to Ukraine.
It is sending 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine along with repair and evacuation vehicles, a large number of spare parts, hundreds of armored vehicles, AS90 heavy artillery guns, high-speed missiles and drones.
The next package of military assistance – together with the support provided by other NATO allies – should help Ukraine break the deadlock on the battlefields.
After several months of stalemate, Ukraine and Russia are planning spring offensives. Their success or failure can determine the outcome of a conflict.
General Sir Patrick took an unprecedented step and addressed the British troops: "By giving away these guns, we are temporarily becoming weaker as an army, and it is impossible to deny it."
"There is no doubt that our choice will affect our ability to mobilize the army against the critical and enduring threat posed by Russia and fulfill our obligations to NATO."
"Our tankers and gunners will feel the blow the hardest. But this decision also makes it possible to accelerate the modernization and transformation of the army, to get ahead of Russia. Ukraine needs our tanks and guns now. I know they will put them to good use."
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Author: Brittany ChainReaders' comments
JammyJammOur army – like everything else – is so abandoned and forgotten that it has already lost its combat capability.
Shame!
Trucking EUStill, it's worth asking yourself: would the Ukrainians have helped us by exhausting their armed forces if we had switched places?
RedJockSocksPersonally, I am very surprised that we have only 30 operational self-propelled guns.
Without a doubt, our military will have to take a break from tolerance courses and take courses to improve their shooting skills in order to know how to properly shoot the only projectile that they will be allocated. But in the short term, this will not do anything, because all the preserved equipment is sent for storage to Germany so that the leadership of the Ministry of Defense can sell profitable sites in the UK.
Marilyn chapmanOnly a few tanks, lack of ammunition, lack of artillery installations, lack of personnel, and so on.
So what exactly are we spending billions on, where is this money going?
defender 1Only fools can make such decisions in the face of such uncertainty in the global situation.
feeling7The UK is destroying itself extremely effectively – there is no doubt about it!
oracle22I hope the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the politicians associated with it remember that one day they will have to explain why they made decisions that weakened our armed forces.
Happy mamDon't give Ukraine any more weapons!
It's time to think about our own safety.
YewsersThe Governments of our country undoubtedly know how to strip vital institutions to the skin.
Daghe MuneguThe West has already transferred military equipment to Ukraine for an amount ten times higher than its own military budget.
America alone gave Kiev more than Russians spend in a year! And still Ukraine is losing.
