The Ministry of Defence has stated that there is no formal target to reduce the number of senior military officers across the UK Armed Forces, according to a written update sent to the Defence Committee by Permanent Secretary David Williams on 11 July 2025.
The letter, addressed to Committee Chair Tan Dhesi MP, follows a public evidence session on 2 July where Williams appeared alongside Defence Secretary John Healey and Vice Chief of the Defence Staff General Gwyn Jenkins. It responds to a request for clarification on current military headcount levels and whether the MOD plans to reduce the number of star-ranked officers in the wake of wider departmental reforms.
According to the figures provided, there were 472 senior officers at one-star rank and above (NATO OF-6 and above) serving in the UK Regular Armed Forces as of 1 April 2025. These include Commodores, Brigadiers, Air Commodores and all higher ranks. The definition used excludes Full-Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised reservists, the Military Provost Guard Service, locally employed personnel and University Officer Cadets.
In addition, there were 87 officers of equivalent rank serving in the Future Reserves 2020 cohort, which includes mobilised Volunteer Reserves, High Readiness Reserves and those serving under Additional Duties Commitments or on Full-Time Reserve Service contracts. Sponsored Reserves are also included within the Army Reserve component of FR20.
In his letter, Williams wrote that “there are no formal targets to reduce senior military headcount” and noted that the figures were available in the quarterly service personnel statistics published by the government. The latest dataset referenced by the MOD covers the period up to 1 April and provides a breakdown of officer ranks across all services.
The clarification comes at a time when the MOD is engaged in a wide-ranging programme of reform following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review in May. The SDR outlined a shift towards more integrated multi-domain forces and a focus on readiness and resilience, with implications for force structure, command arrangements and staffing.
During the evidence session earlier this month, MPs pressed officials on whether the Department was planning to reduce the number of generals, admirals and air marshals in line with force size and budget pressures. The MOD has now made clear that while other reforms may affect how leadership is structured, there is currently no directive to reduce senior officer numbers as a specific objective.
Williams acknowledged in his letter that the timeliness of responses to the Defence Committee had not always met expectations. He committed to improving how follow-up information is shared, including the introduction of a protocol requiring answers within ten working days, or partial responses with timelines for completion if more time is needed.
The Committee is also due to receive a private briefing on NATO capability targets, following a commitment made during the same session. The MOD is liaising with Committee clerks to arrange this briefing.
Private briefing. So MoD still won’t discuss NATO targets.
Which I understand they did previously.
As for 1 star ranks and above. I’ve no issues with it. They’ve been reduced on several occasions just like force levels.
Interesting that they focus on readiness and resilience while ignoring that the forces are too small. Assume it’s cheaper for HMG to settle on that, rather than address wider size issues alongside munitions stocks.
More integrated is spin that has been used in other reviews, and hey presto, JFC.
Making CDS in charge of MSHQ with the 3 service chiefs is an increase in integration where exactly? They already were across MoD Main Building across multiple directorates and ACGS, and already are in PJHQ and at CJO.
Pure deck chair shuffling spin for me.
Putting CDS above the defence chiefs is a usual government reaction. If you can’t figure out why it’s going wrong, put someone in charge you can blame. They vicerally believe that extra levels of governance help, even though they pontificate about about how slow things are, and how difficult to wade through the red tape. I can hear them talking diasapprovingly about 11 people checking one person’s work. Nevertheless, they love to add another layer every time there’s reform. Levene has failed, so let’s integrate by adding a layer or two. You can watch the appropriate episode of Yes Minister to get a clear explanation of why the senior Civil Service welcomes the idea, so there’s never any pushback there. Real integration happens at a lower level.
I’ve suggested this before: typically even brigade operations are multi-domain and certainly anything bigger. So give 1*s cross-domain experience amd make all two star positions and above non-domain specific: not Army, Navy or Air Force. Most are administrators anyway, and all should all belong to HM Armed Forces, with cross-domain responsibility, uniforms and titles to match. (Cap badges to be ceremonially burned, new baptismal names optional). That’s how to bring leadership together at levels lower than CDS. Not by sticking them under a non-donominational top boss (which would be the King, anyway).