September 15th 2024.
The United Kingdom has recently sent a significant amount of military aid to Ukraine to support their fight against Russia. This aid includes Challenger 2 tanks, millions of rounds of ammunition, and hundreds of vehicles for both land and water use. This assistance has proven to be crucial in Ukraine's battle against Soviet-built tanks, as all of the donated Challengers have been deployed on the front lines.
However, this act of generosity has not come without consequences for the UK's own armed forces. With a commitment of £7.6 billion in aid since Russia's invasion in February of 2022, there has been a noticeable depletion in the UK's stockpiles. The most significant impact has been the transfer of nearly all of the country's AS90 mobile artillery units to Ukraine. This has created what the armed forces minister, Luke Pollard, refers to as a "capability gap" in their operations.
While acknowledging the importance of providing aid to Ukraine, Mr. Pollard also highlighted the need to replenish stocks in the interim period. He stated, "That was the right decision, absolutely the right thing to do. But there is a challenge now about what do we do in the interim period." This concern is being taken into consideration as the government plans to conduct a strategic defense review in the first half of next year. This review will assess if the UK's stockpiles are being replenished and if their armed forces are at a sufficient level of capability.
It is worth noting that the military aid given to Ukraine was approved by the previous Conservative government and supported by Labour while in opposition. This support has continued with Defense Secretary John Healy meeting his Ukrainian counterpart in Odesa, just 72 hours after celebrating Labour's electoral victory. In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, depleted stocks, and the "changing nature of warfare," the government is evaluating its own military preparedness.
Mr. Pollard commented, "I think the British public are by and large aware that the world is a more difficult, contested place at the moment." He also stated that the strategic defense review would demonstrate how the country plans to respond to this challenge and the decisions that need to be made to deter and defeat any potential aggressors. One of the suggestions that may emerge from the review is the need to invest in further capabilities for defending crucial sub-sea cables used for electronic data transmission. This could involve acquiring specialized vessels, such as the RFA Proteus, for this purpose.
The armed forces minister emphasized the importance of protecting electronic infrastructure, as it is essential for the functioning of everyday life, from the NHS to financial markets. He stated, "Everything is dependent on the data flows. And if we can't assure ourselves those data flows are protected, then we would be neglecting a really critical part of our national infrastructure." It is expected that the strategic defense review will not only identify potential risks but also opportunities for further investment in capabilities.
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