Chief Of The Defence Staff On The Future Of UK Armed Forces

The outgoing head of the British armed forces has spoken to Forces News about the military's future role. 

In his final interview as Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said the development of reservist units to combat cyber warfare should be a priority. 

"We need to develop our own capabilities around information, to create an information advantage around cyber, to create both a deterrence and if necessary, a defence capability for cyber. And these should all be a part of our thinking," the Chief of the Defence Staff explained.

The CDS also said the threat of Russia is something the UK should be concerned about - referencing the Salisbury nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.   

"We should be concerned about activity we can see, in the shape of Russian military activity.

"We should also be concerned about activity we can't see which is sort of shocking events in Salisbury which of course for the Forces TV audience, means we really need to be on our guard and understand that there are wicked threats, not just the threats we are used to," he added. 

The UK Government have blamed Russia for the attack in Salisbury, something which the Kremlin denies as tensions between the two countries starts to rise.  

Another issue for the UK armed forces is Brexit.

With Britain set to leave the European Union (EU) in March 2019, Sir Stuart Peach also spoke about the role for the armed forces once Brexit does happen. He said: 

"NATO is the relevant military alliance that keeps us secure that won't change because of Brexit. 

"As for European security, I think it's very important that we understand that we're not leaving a continent.

"We are still committed to European security and the role for people like me and my successor, Sir General Nick Carter, is to make sure the appropriate fora that our military offer and our military support is available and we need to as part of the negotiation make sure that is not made a political choice, that is very much a military-to-military choice." 

The Chief of the Defence Staff also said there is "likely to be a recommendation of a pay rise" for the armed forces. 

"There's likely to be a recommendation of a pay rise but I can't tell you today what it's going to be as that's a decision for the Government.

"But whatever happens will be backdated until April 2018."

The CDS also said he accepted that "morale is different in different places" across the military but senior officials are trying to improve the moral as well as recruitment. 

The interview marked Sir Stuart Peach's last interview as Chief of the Defence Staff who has served in the role for ten years as he moves onto a new position as NATO Chairman of the Military Committee.

He is set to be replaced by General Sir Nick Carter.