MOD Responds To Reported Shortage Of Combat-Ready Troops

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has rebutted claims that the Army is “dangerously short” of deployable soldiers, following reports of a leaked sensitive document.

The Daily Mail originally revealed on Friday that it had seen a defence report labelled the MOD’s ‘Infantry Battalion Soldier Strength Summary – January 2021’ and marked “Official: Sensitive”.

According to the newspaper, the document showed all but one of the Army’s infantry battalions did not have enough combat-ready soldiers.

It also showed the Scots Guards, which has a working requirement of 603 troops, had just 339 soldiers available for operations.

An Army spokeswoman told PA News Agency the force had achieved its target for infantry recruits in 2020 “and continues to actively recruit today”.

“We are confident the Army has the numbers and talent required to protect the United Kingdom,” she said.

She added that “any reporting about Army force structure” before the completion of the Integrated Review is “merely speculation”.

The Integrated Review was billed by the Government as the largest UK defence, security and foreign policy review since the Cold War ended.

In a statement on Twitter responding to the recent reports, the MOD said “the infantry is 90% staffed and trained”.

Following the publication from the Daily Mail, Labour has called for the Government to devise “a proper defence strategy”.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said the leaked document “raises the alarm on the readiness of our military”.

“After a decade of decline our forces are over 10,000 below the strength ministers said are needed, with combat personnel indispensable for our defence and our commitment to NATO,” Mr Healey said.

“Britain can’t afford any more reckless cuts to our forces, so ministers must put personnel at the heart of their delayed defence review.

“Our adversaries will exploit continuing holes in our capability.

“The UK needs a proper defence strategy without further delay,” he added.

The findings of the Integrated Review were due last autumn but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Boris Johnson saying last month it was unlikely to be published in February.

Cover image: MOD.