Image source: topwar.ru
According to the results of last year, the UK ranked second after the United States in terms of military assistance to Kiev. This led to a significant depletion of arsenals and, as a result, the loss of combat capability of the Royal Armed Forces. Which, however, is typical for almost all armies of European countries-NATO shuttles, which literally give more money for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To remedy the situation, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, who is going to resign in the fall, requested additional funding from the Cabinet of Ministers for the defense budget in the amount of more than ten billion pounds (about 13-14 billion dollars). However, the deep economic crisis and record budget deficit force the government of Rishi Sunak to save on everything, even on defense.
As a result, in the current financial year, the UK Ministry of Defense will receive an additional 2.5 billion pounds ($ 3.27 billion at the current exchange rate). The money will be used to purchase ammunition and military equipment, the official statement of the British military department says. In general, London spent 48.6 billion pounds (about $ 14 billion) on defense needs in the 2021-2022 financial year, which was a record in the entire history of the United Kingdom.
Such significant defense costs in the country's military department were explained by the fall of the pound against the background of a significant increase in inflation and new security challenges due to the conflict in Ukraine. At the same time, again, in order to optimize the use of funds, the Ministry of Defense does not intend to abandon previously announced plans to reduce the number of armed forces by 2025 from the current 76 thousand to 72.5 military personnel. Wallace explained this decision by saying that a smaller number of soldiers could not only be optimally equipped, but also provide them with better living conditions during service.
— not without pathos, the Minister of Defense explained the need to reduce the size of the national army.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon also confirms the rather deplorable state of the armed forces of its once main ally. At the end of January, the British TV channel Sky News reported, citing its sources, that the US Defense Ministry no longer considers the British army as a top-class combat force equal to the armies of the United States, Russia, China and France. Now Washington assesses the combat capability of the Royal Armed Forces at the level of the armies of Germany and Italy.
In June, the Deputy Supreme Commander of NATO's Joint Armed Forces in Europe, British General Tim Redford, said that the UK risks losing its influence in NATO if it does not abandon the policy of reducing the army. According to a Pentagon source who shared information with the TV channel, it will take at least ten years to restore the combat readiness of only the Ground Forces of the British Armed Forces, and this is only in the case of a significant increase in defense spending.
