In an effort to increase the defense budget to 2.5 percent by 2027, the British Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, Sir Keir Starmer, has almost halved the budget for foreign aid. A defense budget of 3 percent is even to be achieved by 2033 – this means that around 7.27 billion euros more will be available for the defense sector from 2027. Starmer emphasized that “the defence and security of the British people must always come first”.
At the same time, an article in The Times reveals the UK’s dramatic dependence on the USA. According to the article, the British army is entirely dependent on US support for key issues such as communications, logistics, personnel, command and control, technology and medical care. Without the provision of American communications services, for example, it would be almost impossible to work effectively with NATO-partners during multinational exercises.
For example, the destroyer “HMS Diamond” was completely dependent on a US supply ship during a mission in the Red Sea to fend off Houthi attacks – an example of the fact that the Royal Navy does not yet have its own supply ship that could deliver supplies at sea. The planned dispatch of an aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific also requires the escort of a US destroyer, as British ships are currently unable to intercept Chinese ballistic missiles.
The majority of ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) information also comes from the USA – the UK only has a single reconnaissance satellite. The Trident nuclear missiles stationed on the Vanguard missile submarines are also of American origin. In addition, the RAF is no longer able to train pilots independently due to a shortage of training aircraft, and the only British armored division, the 3rd Division, is supported by an American deputy commander.
One insider puts it succinctly: “Trump can turn us all on and off.” This statement underlines the extent to which the UK’s ability to conduct independent, sovereign operations has atrophied. In parallel, the various defense departments are identifying projects to be implemented with additional funding. One former defense minister explicitly calls for more investment in British independence and domestic industry.
However, the UK’s biggest defense problem remains personnel. Over the past two decades, the armed forces have missed their recruitment targets every year. As a result, the number of professional soldiers will fall below 70,000 for the first time this year – a level not seen since the Napoleonic era, reports The Times.
