The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, 2007–2008

Charles Heyman

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781844154890
• eBook ISBN: 9781783409990
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

This comprehensive pocket guide includes full and up-to-date details of all British military organizations and structures. This edition includes detail regarding all of the UK MoDs latest future force proposals.The Armed Forces of the United Kindom 2007–2008 is an invaluable reference tool and essential reading for all those who wish to be informed of the current state of the UKs defence forces.

CHAPTER 1 – THE MANAGEMENT OF DEFENCE

GENERAL INFORMATION

Populations – European Union – Top Five Nations

Germany	82.3 million
United Kingdom	58.7 million
France	59.1 million
Italy	57.9 million
Spain	40.2 million

Finance – European Union – Top Five Nations (2004 Figures)

	GDP	Per Capita Income
Germany	Euro 2,160 bn (US$2,570 bn)	US$31,227
United Kingdom	£1,150 bn (US$2,001 bn)	US$33,898
France	Euro 1,620 bn (US$1,927 bn)	US$32,619
Italy	Euro 1,340 bn (US$1,594 bn)	US$27,540
Spain	Euro 799 bn (US$950 bn)	US$23,651
US$/Euro conversion at early 2006 rates

UK Population – 58.7 million (2001 census)

2006 Population estimate is approximately 60 million

UK Population Breakdown – Military Service Groups

(2006 estimate – figures rounded up)

UK Area (in square kilometres)

England	–	130,423
Wales	–	20,766
Scotland	–	78,133
Northern Ireland	–	14,160
Total	–	243,482

Government

The executive government of the United Kingdom is vested nominally in the Crown, but for practical purposes in a committee of Ministers that is known as the Cabinet. The head of the ministry and leader of the Cabinet is the Prime Minister and for the implementation of policy, the Cabinet is dependent upon the support of a majority of the Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Within the Cabinet, defence matters are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Defence. The Secretary of State for Defence has three principal deputies; the Minister of State for the Armed Forces; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans.

THE MISSIONS OF THE ARMED FORCES

A recent MoD mission statement for the armed forces reads as follows “Defence policy requires the provision of forces with a high degree of military effectiveness, at sufficient readiness and with a clear sense of purpose, for conflict prevention, crisis management and combat operations. Their demonstrable capability, conventional and nuclear, is intended to act as an effective deterrent to a potential aggressor, both in peacetime and during a crisis. They must be able to undertake a range of Military Tasks to fulfil the missions set out below, matched to changing strategic circumstances.” These missions are not listed in any order of priority:

Peacetime Security: To provide forces needed in peacetime to ensure the protection and security of the United Kingdom, to assist as required with the evacuation of British nationals overseas, to afford Military Aid to the Civil Authorities in the United Kingdom, including Military Aid to the Civil Power, Military Aid to Other Government Departments and Military Aid to the Civil Community.

Security of the Overseas Territories: To provide forces to meet any challenges to the external security of a British Overseas Territory (including overseas possession and the Sovereign Base Areas) or to assist the civil authorities in meeting a challenge to internal security. (An amendment to legislation in due course will formalise the change of title from “Department Territories” to “Overseas Territories).

Defence Diplomacy: To provide forces to meet the varied activities undertaken by the Ministry of Defence to dispel hostility, build and maintain trust, and assist in the development of democratically accountable armed forces (thereby making a significant contribution to conflict prevention and resolution).

Support to Wider British Interests: To provide forces to conduct activities to promote British interests, influence and standing abroad.

Peace Support and Humanitarian Operations: To contribute forces to operations other than war in support of British interests and international order and humanitarian principles, the latter most likely under UN auspices.

Regional Conflict Outside the NATO Area: To contribute forces for a regional conflict (but on an attack on NATO or one of its members) which, if unchecked, could adversely affect European security, or which could pose a serious threat to British interests elsewhere, or to international security. Operations are usually under UN or Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe auspices.

Regional Conflict Inside the NATO Area: To provide forces needed to respond to a regional crisis or conflict involving a NATO ally who calls for assistance under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

Strategic Attack on NATO: To provide, within the expected warning and readiness preparation times, the forces required to counter a strategic attack against NATO.

This mission statement is further sub-divided into a number of Military Tasks (MT) which accurately define the way in which the missions are actually accomplished.

TOTAL BRITISH ARMED FORCES – OVERVIEW (AS AT 1 JANUARY 2006)

Regular: 195,960 (excludes approximately 3,350 Gurkhas, approximately 1,500 Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, approximately 3,000 Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) and 2,000 mobilised reserves).

Army: 107,400; Royal Navy 39,430; Royal Air Force 49,390; (figures include all trained and untrained personnel). Royal Naval figure includes some 7,200 Royal Marines.

Regular Reserves: 191,500; Volunteer Reserves 44,000; Cadet Forces 153,100 (Sea Cadets 16,350, Army Cadets 52,000, Air Training Corps 40,170, Combined Cadet Force 44,600); MoD Civilians 115,000 (includes 14,000 locally entered civilians).

Strategic Forces: 4 x Vanguard Class submarines capable of carrying 16 x Trident (D5) Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) deploying with 48 x warheads per submarine. If necessary a D5 missile could deploy with 12 MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles). Future plans appear to be for a stockpile of 200 operationally available warheads and 58 missile bodies. Strategic Forces are provided by the Ro...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• CHAPTER 1 – THE MANAGEMENT OF DEFENCE
• CHAPTER 2 – THE ROYAL NAVY
• CHAPTER 3 – THE BRITISH ARMY
• CHAPTER 4 – THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
• CHAPTER 5 – MISCELLANEOUS
• ABBREVIATIONS