Latest news with #RussianThreat
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
AI, drones and missile defence investment part of UK new defence plans
Artificial intelligence, drones and a £1 billion investment in homeland missile defence are all part of the plans to keep the UK safe in the face of threats from Vladimir Putin's Russia and the rise of China. There should be room for a 'small uplift' in the number of full-time Army soldiers, and personnel in back-office roles released to 'front line roles' under the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). Defence Secretary John Healey has pledged to 'create a British Army that is 10 times more lethal' through software and long-range weapons, and committed to delivering 'the best kit and technology into the hands of our frontline forces'. The 'transformation' signalled by the SDR marks the 'most profound change for about 150 years in how you think about armies, navies and air force,' one of the authors of the review, General Sir Richard Barrons, said on Monday. The military have been told that 'an immediate priority' should be a 'shift towards greater use of autonomy and artificial intelligence', while the Army should be prepared to operate with 'a 20-40-40' mix between crewed systems, 'reusable' tech such as drones, and 'consumables' such as rockets, shells and missiles. Mr Healey has also pledged to 'protect the UK homeland' with 'up to £1 billion new funding invested in homeland air and missile defence'. Last month the Defence Secretary announced that casualties from drones in the war between Russia and Ukraine outnumber those inflicted by artillery, as he estimated that '70%-80% of battlefield casualties are now caused and inflicted by drones.' Sir Keir Starmer said that the UK will move to 'war fighting readiness', ahead of the review which he said would create a 'battle-ready, armour clad' nation. He also said he was '100% confident' the plans in the new strategic defence review – including extra attack submarines, £15 billion on nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons – could be delivered on current funding plans. The report has been produced in the context of the Government's pledge to increase defence spending earlier this year, but ministers have been warned that the 'turbulent times' we are living in mean that 'it may be necessary to go faster'. 'The plan we have put forward can be accelerated for either greater assurance or for mobilisation of defence in a crisis,' the authors say. Speaking in Scotland earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister said: 'When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.' The Government has pledged to accept all 62 recommendations in the review, which says that there is 'no scope' to reduce the number of regulars in the Army, RAF or Navy. The authors envisage 'an increase in the total number of Regular personnel when funding allows' with a 'small uplift in Army Regulars as a priority'. They also advocate an expansion in the cadet forces by 30% by 2030, with an overall of 250,000 signed up in the longer term. According to the MoD, as of April 2024 there were 'over 139,000 young people and 26,000 adult volunteers' across cadet units in the UK. Grasping AI and automation technology could also see thousands of military personnel and civil servants in jobs such as HR and finance 'move into front-line roles'. The review has been undertaken by former commander of the joint forces command General Sir Richard, alongside defence adviser Dr Fiona Hill, and former Nato general secretary Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. The report also lays bare the potential impacts on the UK's way of life in the event of a war. The authors say that as well as attacks on military bases in the UK and overseas, there could be missile attacks targeted at military and critical national infrastructure in the UK, as well as increased cyber attacks. There could also be attempts to disrupt the economy – particularly industries that support the armed forces – as well as efforts to manipulate false information and to try and undermine social cohesion. Britain is already subject to 'daily' attacks, according to the review, 'targeting its critical national infrastructure, testing its vulnerabilities as an open economy and global trading nation'. The review comes as the UK and allies are facing changing threats across the globe, amid Russia's continuing war in Ukraine. The authors warned that 'the international chessboard has been tipped over' and the 'certainties of the international order we have accepted for so long are now being questioned'. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for European countries to dramatically increase their defence spending rather than relying on Washington to subsidise the cost of their security. He has called for a 5% spending target, while Nato general secretary Mark Rutte has reportedly asked for members to spend 3.5% on their militaries by 2032 with a further 1.5% on defence-related projects. The Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from April 2027 with an ambition – but no firm commitment – to increase it to 3% during the next parliament. Introducing the review, Sir Keir said that 'a step change in the threats we face demands a step change in British defence to meet them'. 'We also need to see the biggest shift in mindset in my lifetime,' he said. 'To put security front and centre, to make it the fundamental organising principle of Government.'
LBCI
27-05-2025
- Business
- LBCI
EU ministers approve new 150 billion-euro arms fund
On Tuesday, the European Union approved the creation of a 150 billion-euro ($170.7 billion) EU arms fund, driven by fears of a Russian attack in the coming years and doubts about U.S. security commitments to the continent. The approval by ministers from EU countries at the meeting in Brussels was the final legal step in setting up the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme, using joint EU borrowing to give loans to European countries for joint defense projects. The measure was backed by 26 of the EU's 27 member countries, with Hungary abstaining, diplomats said. Reuters
Russia Today
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
German defense minister teases possible conscription in 2026
Germany may be forced to revive compulsory conscription as early as next year if not enough people join the army voluntarily to meet Berlin's NATO obligations amid growing tensions with Moscow, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said. Berlin abolished conscription in 2011 but has recently reconsidered bringing it back, citing 'threats' from Russia. Moscow has consistently dismissed such speculation about any intent to attack NATO countries as 'nonsense,' accusing the West of trying to scare EU populations and justify increased military budgets. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his coalition partners have already reached an understanding on reintroducing the so-called 'Swedish model,' which combines selective mandatory and voluntary service. They are now working to pass a new bill by the end of the year, Pistorius said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Saturday. 'Our model is initially based on voluntary participation,' Pistorius stated. 'If the time comes when we have more capacity available than voluntary registrations, then we may decide to make it mandatory. That is the roadmap.' The German chancellor proclaimed his intention to turn the Bundeswehr into the 'strongest army' on the continent earlier this month, just days after the world marked the 80th anniversary of the crushing defeat of Nazi Wehrmacht in World War II. 'The federal government will provide all the financial resources that the Bundeswehr needs to become the strongest conventional army in Europe,' Merz said. 'Our friends and partners expect this from us – and, in fact, they are demanding it.' NATO is urging Berlin to significantly expand its military forces, Die Welt reported last week, noting that officials believe the country – already burdened by high dropout rates – will struggle to meet the proposed targets. Pistorius said Germany must be capable of mobilizing a total force of 460,000 soldiers and reservists, including at least 200,000 active-duty troops. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Berlin has become one of Kiev's largest backers after the US and EU institutions, supplying it with heavy weapons, including Leopard 2 tanks, while denying direct involvement. Germany's chief of defense staff, General Carsten Breuer, previously stated that the country was living in a 'grey zone,' and must be war-ready to confront Russia by 2029. Berlin was the world's fourth-largest military spender in 2024 – after the US, China, and Russia, and ahead of India – according to research by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Overall, NATO members have boosted their combined military expenditure to $1.5 trillion, with roughly one-third contributed by the bloc's European members. In March, the European Commission unveiled a plan to raise a further €800 billion ($896 billion) to 'rearm' the EU and produce more weapons for Ukraine. Russian officials have condemned the steps being taken in Europe toward militarization, expressing concern that, rather than supporting US-led peace initiatives for the Ukraine conflict, the EU and UK are instead gearing up for war with Russia.
