UK army to rely on foreign, private help

Defense Secretary Phillip Hammond will say in the opening speech of the 2012 RUSI Land Warfare Conference that while the army will focus its resources on the frontline and combat operations, the “tail” units in charge of supply and support will be provided by Britain’s international allies and private contractors.

“[The army should by] thinking innovatively about how combat service support is provided. Using more systematically the skills available in the Reserve and from our contractors,” Hammond will say.

“Working closely with partners to operate logistics more rationally through Alliance structures. Looking to others to provide the tail, where Britain is concentrating on providing the teeth,” he adds.

The Ministry of Defense is expected to announce army cuts to sack 20,000 out of the current 102,000 army soldiers next week.
The army is also being restructured so that “some units inevitably will be lost or will merge,” Hammond will say.

This comes as there are fears reliance on foreign support from British allies seriously undermines Britain’s military capabilities.

Britain and France signed a so-called landmark deal in 2010 that envisaged joint use of aircraft carriers, a joint 10,000-strong expeditionary force and new levels of cooperation regarding nuclear missiles.

One of the agreements is already in shreds after Britain decided to build its two planned aircraft carriers without a catapult, which means French fighter jets cannot fly from British aircraft carriers.

AMR/JR/HE

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