The UK says high-readiness British forces could be deployed under NATO defence plans if Belarus and Kaliningrad attempted to close the Suwalki Gap, the narrow land corridor linking Poland with the Baltic states.
The position was set out in a written parliamentary answer to Labour MP Mike Tapp, who asked whether Britain had the capability to respond swiftly to an attempt to close the route. Defence Minister Louise Sandher-Jones framed the response through NATO’s collective defence arrangements rather than as a purely national UK operation.
She said: “NATO has the capability and commitment to defend every inch of Alliance territory.”
The Suwalki Gap is the stretch of territory between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad which provides the land connection between Poland and Lithuania, and by extension the rest of the Baltic states. Its position has long made it an important part of NATO defence planning in north-eastern Europe, particularly because any attempt to sever the corridor would directly affect the Alliance’s ability to reinforce Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia by land.
Sandher-Jones said Britain had committed the overwhelming majority of its military to NATO planning, including forces held at higher readiness. She said: “The UK remains staunchly committed to NATO’s collective defence obligation, offering almost all of our Armed Forces to NATO including high-readiness forces, which can be deployed as part of NATO’s collective defence plans if necessary.”
Ok what are these fotrce? worn out Warrior, short of ammo C2, 14 older model Archers? no counter UAV guns, whats doing recce? as Ajax is still brioken and CVR Ts were retired before Ajax replaced it. A story about bluffing and saying we have the kit when we don’t but no one is allowed to say that so it spin, lie, distract. If its light forces we have loads of them, thats about all we have.
So that’s a no, then
the Suwalki is huge, no way would Russia attempt to close it without getting obliterated by Poland
The Army will mend and make do, superbly, as always, while politicians talk a good game of, essentially, utter s****, as
the Ministers reply offered nothing and just stated the obvious, we are part of NATO, we will hide behind NATO, but reap maximum grandstanding points for being involved and acting the big boy when in reality you’d have Poland annihilate any Russian adventure there.
As Poland takes Defence seriously, we don’t, the PM admitted as such in Parliament the other week.
But, a Brit is Deputy SACEUR. That means something, so the politics takes over and the British Army of course would take part.
Under the future structure, the Forward Land Force, which the UK contributes to with the FLF BG in Estonia, is meant to be reinforced I believe by a Brigade from 1 UK Division, do either 4 Bde or 7 Bde.
Not 3 UK Division with Tanks, as in the photo. That is meant to be part of SACEUR Reserve and like the bulk of the Field Army is in the ARRC. Would that deploy? No idea, I don’t see the ARRC as being a “high readiness” force.
Elements of 1 UK are and 16 Bde are.
4 Bde, as mentioned often here, lacks a full set of enablers from CS CSS which it would have to steal from elsewhere.
A situation entirely the fault of HMG which can only be rectified by increasing the size of the Army or re roling existing assets elsewhere, which then knocks capability in other areas.
There are always other elements, from the Spearhead Infantry Battalion ( if it’s still a thing ) the VHR MR Medical Regiment, elements of 30 Signals Regiment, bits of 16 AA Bde, and so on, ready to deploy.
So yes the Army has forces it can contribute, just don’t expect full Armoured Brigades, I’d guess the units allocated would be lighter.
And in the background, beyond the words, the reality.
14 SPG only. A ludicrous situation.
Boxer 2 years late and still only with a MG, for a vehicle that’s already in service elsewhere, some going.
Armoured Recc almost non existent, with Ajax late, Warriors in use in some Squadrons of the 3 Armoured Recc Regiments.
Warrior itself gone in 2027, no like for like replacement.
Challenger III, delayed, numbers will be below even the minimum needed.
GBAD so threadbare and lacking in money that Stormer HVM replacement is delayed and Pollard admitted last week that there’s no money currently as it’s being spent elsewhere.
ISTAR is king, yet the Army still has but one non Drone ISTAR Regiment, 5 RA, which has to be in 20 places at once.
CSS, so lacking in depth a Bde HMG band about with flashing lights on as deployable has none beyond it’s reservists. ( 4 Bde mentioned above.)
At least Starmer isn’t babbling on about sending assets to Ukraine as well…..we’re like a moth to a candle, HMG must be seen to be there, bang drums about it, while cutting and sending as much money to the MIC as possible.
Rant over.🙄
TLDR, and in a more positive light, it’s going to take years to sort the Army out into a more cohesive force, groundwork has been laid, and a lot of new kit is talked about and planned. In the meantime, look at all these Drones we are buying.