London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

UK Unveils Troop Cut In Defence Modernisation Plans

UK Unveils Troop Cut In Defence Modernisation Plans

Military experts in the United States have already expressed alarm at the move, while opposition parties in Britain also voiced concern.

The UK government on Monday unveiled its much-anticipated military modernisation plans, bolstering the country's navy, special forces and global focus while cutting the size of the army.

The long-awaited proposals promise new investment in ships, submarines and sailors, as well as robots, drones and cyber warfare, alongside an overhaul of the land-based armed forces structure and numbers.

Publishing the 70-page report, titled "Defence in a Competitive Age", Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told lawmakers the government's strategy marked a shift "from mass mobilisation to information age speed, readiness and relevance".

"We will ensure defence is threat-focused, modernised and financially sustainable, ready to confront future challenges, seize new opportunities for global Britain," he said, calling it "an honest assessment of what we can do and what we will do".

"We will for the first time in decades match genuine money to credible ambitions," Wallace added, noting that would mean retiring some platforms "to make way for new systems and approaches".

However, the decision to reduce the army's size to 72,500 by the middle of the decade, from an established strength of 82,000, could prove contentious domestically and among allies.

Military experts in the United States have already expressed alarm at the move, while opposition parties in Britain also voiced concern.

"Useful"


The reforms follow a commitment by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last November to increase defence spending over the next four years by 16 billion pound ($22 billion, 19 billion euros).

They also come hot on the heels of last week's broader overhaul of Britain's security, defence and foreign policy, billed as the biggest since the Cold War.

Crafted over the past year as London recalibrates its post-Brexit foreign policy, that review outlined a pivot in strategic focus towards Asia, labelling China a "systemic competitor".

It also prioritised ongoing efforts to counter Russian threats and, in a surprise move to many, set out plans to increase Britain's nuclear stockpile.

Johnson said ahead of Monday's plans being released that Britain wanted "to be useful around the world in partnership with our friends to keep the peace".

"To do that, you need strong, robust armed services of the kind that we are investing in," he added, during a visit to BAE Systems in northern England.

"Collective deterrence"


The defence review set out key spending priorities, including funding to take the number of navy frigates and destroyers to 20 by the start of the next decade.

It also detailed that Britain will expand its fleet of US-made F35 fighter jets only to 48, the minimum number it had committed to buy.

The document earmarks 200 million pound of investment over the next decade to transform the Royal Marines into a new unit called the Future Commando Force.

It will conduct roles traditionally carried out by UK special forces and be deployed on "an enduring basis" to help secure shipping lanes and uphold freedom of navigation.

The review also pledges 120 million pound to establish an army special operations brigade and a new Ranger Regiment.

It will "be able to operate discreetly in high-risk environments and be rapidly deployable across the world" and involved in "collective deterrence" with partner forces.

A new Security Force Assistance Brigade will provide guidance and training to allied partner nations and draw expertise from across the army.

Meanwhile the Royal Navy will develop a new surveillance ship, to come into service by 2024 with a crew of around 15 people, aimed at protecting Britain's undersea cables and other critical national infrastructure.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×