Realigning the British Army after Ukraine

[CC_TA]

The problem with 16AA is the resources to provide initial assault
Look at the varying terms for a 1btn airborne task force with drop shorts n chunkies attached throw in the provosts loggies n medics and hey presto what’s left is the second and third waves

Helps that those handy USAF Ospreys
are assisting with cross nation training ensuring everyone can swing off the same song sheet

Chinnoks n Pumas(it’s eventual successor) n wildcats with a few apaches as skirmishers

PS: Must not forget the infusion of bleeps ensuring comms all round

Recently told we could just about equip and drop a company(+) of Paras maximum, not too sure how much we could fly in as an immediate follow up.

As we're a defence force, not an army, in all but name now - we are going to have to embrace being a smaller cog in a more multinational structure or we need to halt and reverse cut backs.

 

[oscar1whisky]

Recently told we could just about equip and drop a company(+) of Paras maximum, not too sure how much we could fly in as an immediate follow up.

As we're a defence force, not an army, in all but name now - we are going to have to embrace being a smaller cog in a more multinational structure or we need to halt and reverse cut backs.

Paras are worthless unless you have air superiority sorted first.

 

[CC_TA]

Paras are worthless unless you have air superiority sorted first.

Let's face it, the stands at Horse Guards have more drops than the Paras.

 

[Truxx]

Recently told we could just about equip and drop a company(+) of Paras maximum, not too sure how much we could fly in as an immediate follow up.

As we're a defence force, not an army, in all but name now - we are going to have to embrace being a smaller cog in a more multinational structure or we need to halt and reverse cut backs.

Even back in the 1980s the logistic tail for 5AB Bde was truly massive, way bigger than 3 Cdo Bde. Whilst the troops travelled light, the support required was monstrous.

 

[truck_trasher]

Had…
Fight and win one and conduct a spoiling action in another AO.
The two war standard no longer applies.

Europe had better take heed and invest in guns and stop relying on America to provide for the bulk of European defense.

Finland has the biggest artillery force in Europe, and they are almost 'in', almost . . .

We do need to catch up quite a bit.

 

[tiger stacker]

Finland has the biggest artillery force in Europe, and they are almost 'in', almost . . .

The winter war shows how to really **** the bear in its stride

 

[jagman2]

Gen. Milley warns West Point graduates of 'increasing' risk of global war, 'robotic tanks'

Gen. Mark Milley told cadets graduating from U.S. Military Academy West Point Saturday to prepare for "significant international conflict between great powers."

www.foxnews.com

Some food for thought.
The US is prepping for great power conflict and tailoring our forces for peer on peer conflict. The world is taking a leap backwards into the 1930’s. Instead of Germany, Italy, and Japan we have China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

The failure to boost defense could very well result in foreigners making unpleasant choices for your country.

Some would argue that a heavy metal division would be a waste for an island nation.
WW2 should have shown those the folly of not having a strong Army. It wasn’t called the Battle of Britain because the Luftwaffe was bombing Paris.

The North Africa campaign also comes to mind. What was the British Army doing in the desert? Trying to prevent the DAK from seizing the Suez and maintaining the lines of communication for the Empire.

I like you Steamboat
You are generally entertaining

But for Christ's sake change your bloody record

You are constantly bleating about us relying on the US for defence. Remind me again why the UK went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, are we supposed to apologise for dragging you kicking and screaming into Baghdad and Kabul?

Your rhetoric has gone beyond tedious

 

[Auld-Yin]

It's so bloody dumb it almost makes you wish for thousands of Russian paratroopers to descend on the UK to focus the minds of idiots who obsess over archaic crap like cap badges etc.

What Corps were you in?

 

[Steamboat]

I like you Steamboat
You are generally entertaining

But for Christ's sake change your bloody record

You are constantly bleating about us relying on the US for defence. Remind me again why the UK went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, are we supposed to apologise for dragging you kicking and screaming into Baghdad and Kabul?

Your rhetoric has gone beyond tedious

Blair wanted to remain besties with Bush, so you were committed to Iraq.
That was a choice your government made, to retain your status in DC.

But if you don’t want to be reminded, do something about it or just accept that choices will be made for you. Especially in the era of great power competition.

 

[jagman2]

But if you don’t want to be reminded, do something about it or just accept that choices will be made for you. Especially in the era of great power competition.

Testicles

 

[Glasgow_Jock]

What Corps were you in?

I was a West coaster in a Highland battalion because our most recent foray into Afghanistan demanded it.

F*** your anachronistic traditions

 

[Auld-Yin]

I was a West coaster in a Highland battalion because our most recent foray into Afghanistan demanded it.

F*** your anachronistic traditions

Member of the Regiment, or attached?

I believe there will be a Corps of Infantry fairly soon, but the only reason for it will be to make it even easier for the Treasury to cut numbers - yet again!

 

[Glasgow_Jock]

Member of the Regiment, or attached?

Infantry.

 

[Auld-Yin]

Infantry.

So what do you see the future of the infantry is given that their will be no more cap badge warfare? And in this lack of regimental badging did you include the Household Division, Parachute Regiment,Gurkhas etc? Infantry: one job, one badge?

 

[Steamboat]

Testicles

Tanks would be better.

 

[Forrest Gump]

A lot of people here endorsing the “let’s prepare for the last war we fought (or watched being fought)” doctrine. I seem to think that’s exactly the opposite of what’s needed. Surely the lesson is you must expect the unexpected?

Falklands - Right! Long range amphibious Ops it is.
GW1 - OMG! Get all the heavy armor back, it’s all about tanks.
Bosnia - Steady - We’re just peacekeepers now…
Afghanistan - Quick - It’s lightweight mobility against asymmetric threats.
GW2 - Damn - Did anyone keep the insurgency pamphlets from the Radfan?
Ukraine - Hurry up - We need AT systems and a lot more drones.

The only effective counter to an emergent threat like those above is a Government and hence MoD that can react rapidly and effectively to deliver modular and scaleable systems. That’s about developing and funding a credible Defence industry, not having tank and artillery parks with massively under utilized kit, or paying BAE to be bloated and lazy. By the time the Army tries to react to the latest threat, it’s all over.

Good luck in finding a PM or a Defence Minister with that level of foresight or courage.

Totally well said.

 

[Forrest Gump]

Recently told we could just about equip and drop a company(+) of Paras maximum, not too sure how much we could fly in as an immediate follow up.

As we're a defence force, not an army, in all but name now - we are going to have to embrace being a smaller cog in a more multinational structure or we need to halt and reverse cut backs.

That’s right…about all we could do mate.

 

[bobthebuilder]

No, I pick well known examples that are in the public domain, that explain why we have open procurement processes where possible.

There are deep, long term partnerships that are not corrupt.
Without scrutiny they have a high chance of becoming, and remaining corrupt.

My point is that procurement, a key enabler for land warfare, has a current system that is designed to prevent known problems in the past from re-occuring.

If you reckon it's not fit for purpose, by all means come up with a better one, that still retains those checks.

My bold. One word; Ajax. All sorts problems from the past manifesting at the strategic level. If the current procurement system worked, the Army would have the systems it needs and the taxpayers would have received value for money. I could pick any number of British procurements that were tendered in stovepipes and that have failed to deliver adequate capability or value for money. You didn’t even pick UK examples.

If you want a better system, look no further than the Army Basing Programme which levered of Allenby-Connaught. Tender once, build a long term strategic partnering relationships around trust. Put quality people on the teams and open the books on both sides. Then lever off that relationship and exploit its value by adding technically adjacent projects.

Tender early, get the right contractor on board early and build a long term partnering relationship based on mutual trust. It’s a well proven model.

 

[Alamo]

Member of the Regiment, or attached?

I believe there will be a Corps of Infantry fairly soon, but the only reason for it will be to make it even easier for the Treasury to cut numbers - yet again!

The Treasury has never cut numbers, Defence decides how to spend its money.

 

[alfred_the_great]

The Treasury has never cut numbers, Defence decides how to spend its money.

Sssh, you’re spoiling the narrative.