British forces are taking the lead of NATO’s rapid response force on 1 January 2024, placing thousands of soldiers on standby to defend the Alliance.

Tom has spent the last 13 years working in the defence industry, specifically military and commercial shipbuilding. His work has taken him around Europe and the Far East, he is currently based in Scotland.
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George Amery
George Amery
10 months ago

Hi folks hope all is well.
Good to see. However, I may have got this wrong. Is this the commitment that doubt was thrown over some time ago by the US because of the size of the UK’s military?
As ever over to you experts for advice.
Cheers
George

Caspian237
Caspian237
10 months ago
Reply to  George Amery

It’s the same commitment that saw us provide the largest allied contribution to both the US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, sticking it out for nigh on twenty years, to the bitter end, until the US itself got bored and buggered off home, leaving us all scratching our heads and trying to figure out what the point of the escapade was in the first place while writing off the immense amount of resources and money expended on it as a dead loss. Conversely, since Ukraine hasn’t managed to defeat one of the world’s largest militaries in two years, and with… Read more »

Last edited 10 months ago by Caspian237
FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
10 months ago
Reply to  Caspian237

No, believe you summarized post 9/11 history accurately. ☹️

Cymbeline
Cymbeline
10 months ago
Reply to  Caspian237

What with those retards in the big house in Moscow blaming the UK/US every time the Ukrainians pull their pants down and give their backsides a spanking, did they really think the Ukrainians would do nothing after hitting them with that massive missle/drone strike? And then they want an emergency meeting with the UNSC to complain about their orrible neighbours. How very dare they.

George
George
10 months ago
Reply to  Cymbeline

Bugger Ukraine. Along with Russia, Belorussia and Transcaucasia. They gifted the world the USSR and the associated staggering death toll. Let them slaughter each other with gay abandon! It’s almost divine retribution.
No, we should be thinking more about aiding Israel. Smashing the Houthis and Hezbollah while taking the fight home to the true perpetrators – Iran.

Last edited 10 months ago by George
Marked
Marked
10 months ago
Reply to  Caspian237

That’s summed the US up well.

An addition though, their arms industries are making an absolute killing from all these protracted drawn out wars. They won’t want them to end.

Funny how time and time again US policy actively extends wars by prohibiting war fighters from utilising the assets available to them.

Makes me wonder just who exactly runs the show over there…

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  Marked

Apparently one of the theories as to why Kennedy was killed.
The MIC is all powerful. Wars feed it.
Eisenhower warned of its growing power.

Marked
Marked
10 months ago

Yeah, considering how LBJ handled the war from then supports that theory perfectly. The same BS we see today with Ukraine.

And it feels like every war that does not directly impact on the US at home is dragged on needlessly. Iraq 1 and 2 were only fought decisively because of the black gold aspect.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  Marked

Sadly, I’m inclined to agree. How much of the MoDs cash vanishes into our own MIC?

Marked
Marked
10 months ago

Too much. It’s the reason we see so much spent on feasibility studies, development projects etc that never lead to anything that actually sees service.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  George Amery

Not really. The UK has provided the framework for the ARRC for some time, and continues to despite 3 UK Div being in some disorder of its ORBAT and equipment.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  George Amery

The very same. Funny how this is no longer an issue.

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago

Braid need jobs.

We could of course take a scythe to the Braid and cut our cloth accordingly.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

ARRC, 1 Lt General and some Brigadeers inc Com 1 Signal Bde.
Most braid in It is from other nations contributing to the Corps HQ.

I’d prefer we remain lead nation in it than just give up the responsibility.

The Lead Bde in VHRF is rotated, so no issue there for the army. Just a lack of artillery and SHORAD, EW, in 7 Bde.

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago

Near to Newbury is a Det led by Braid. Not talked about and staffed by Reg and AR they put a lot of effort into the VHRF…

The fact that a certain Maj AR and Border Force officer serving there, beats his BeloRussian wife and threatens her with deportation and does nothing to support his son, who has special needs, should not detract from it.

Jason Fensome, Merry Christmas.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Hi David.
Hermitage? 77 Bde or Int Gp?

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago

A certain lecturer with RUSI mentioned the ‘Unit’ I’d go with Int.

I love the Army, but, there are always bad apples, I just hope Alina is OK; she’s from Swindon.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Yep, Hermitage. All sorts of Int there.
Agree, poor lady.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

David, are you suggesting that NATO has created the VJTF brigade just to give a Brigadier something to do?
…and are you suggesting that we should cut out a number of Brigadiers and also shy away from the commitment?

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Sir I’m suggesting that the UK debt needs to be cut, the military need to be cut appropriately and given the cost of a private plus pension and that of a Major General plus pension, we’ve a tad too many Braid and can let some other country step up and proffer their budget. Sir, we can disagree, IMHO, there is far too much Braid AND their associated pension costs. Time for a cull. And for a change, sod NATO and let a European country stand up a candidate and pay the whole life costs of said individual and their staff… Read more »

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Hi David, the Field Force of the three services definitely does not have too much Braid and neither does the Defence Diplomacy area or the army’s Arms & Service Directorates – but I agree that there is too much Braid at the MoD ‘Head Office’ – there are a lot of random ‘non-jobs’ there.

Martin
Martin
10 months ago

Do we have enough working kit to do the job or have we scrapped every thing together. Seem as if we have not much working kit under 30 years old until new stuff arrives in 2 to 5 years.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  Martin

What have we scrapped? Husky taken out of service in 2022. We pensioned off CVR(T)s in March/April this year. Not sure we have taken any other equipment type out of service.

RSDG have…Jackal (Mk1 fielded in 2008, Mk 2 fielded in 2009/10)

AFAIK Lt role Inf Bns have…Foxhound (delivered from 2012), Mastiff (early versions fielded from 2006).

So, somewhat younger than 30 years old.

Martin
Martin
10 months ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

no heavy armour, i wounder why. Lack of spares. Mastiff is being retired not suitable in mud etc . Why not tracked ? because its all broken, out dated, lacking spares and awaiting over due replacement.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  Martin

The VJTF has to deploy quickly by definition therefore it is a force of medium (to light) weight kit. That’s why it does not include heavy armour, as that takes a bit longer to deploy.

I don’t think Mastiff is being retired just yet – it will surely be replaced by Boxer and that is not in service yet.

Of course if we have to send heavy armour subsequently we would. At the last count we had over 170 tanks available for use.
What’s all broken?

Martin
Martin
10 months ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

170 working C2s? i doubt that, and yes mastiff is being retired as its useless in mud etc. We can not send heavy armour as they are either awaiting spares, being converted, being phased out or not yet in service. Fox hound is being converted to a command vehicle, Most of Warrior are being run down or used for Recce, There are NOT 170 C2 there is about a Regts worth in total. MLRS is being converted to A2 and not many A1/B1 are avallible. AS90 is being run down and spares are getting hard to get. In 5 years… Read more »

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
10 months ago

Sorry I lost the will to live at how VJTF means Very High Readiness Joint Task Force.
Then I looked at the composition Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, 4 Royal Regiment of Scotland and 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment (Poachers).
All are light units with little or no heavy support.
Camerons, Gordon’s, Seaforths ☹️

Anyone ever heard of St Valery en Caux ?

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

I too get irritated at incomplete abbreviations or acronyms.
The VJTF has to deploy quickly so it makes sense that it is on light scales. You would expect heavier forces to follow asap if required.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago

How does a Corps, the ARRC, act as framework Land Component Command (LCC) for a brigade?
Surely the ARRC finds the LCC from one of its brigades.

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

And there you go with units being tripled hatted.

The press release is fulsome, the effect is negligible and the Opfor less than impressed.

Happy New Year, Sir.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

In my entire service career we had all sorts of tasks being foisted on field force units that did not relate to their core mission or for which they had not trained for or worked up for. [I think back periodically at the bizarre decision to deploy 5 Inf Bde on Op Corporate, without its two Para bns (as they had gone to 3 Cdo Bde) – and its two Guards battalions being pulled off Public Duties to go to war – they were not fit enough and were not orientated to field soldiering. The brigade had only reformed in… Read more »

David Barry
David Barry
10 months ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

It’s a discussion I had with Airborne. Regiments like PARA and Royal Irish do mental, they should be supported by a gendarmerie RMP coupled to Int that occupy the land and lead change e.g. Sierra Leone. Do we need a heavy Div? Or a commando Brigade able to support Arctic warfare, supported by light artillery. Would you put money into the Army or fund PIDs in Commando to recreate a Div of Royal? Is the helicopter force fit for purpose? Both PARA/Gendarmerie and Cmdo force need that capability, do they need challies? Finally, do we take a page out of… Read more »

Sam
Sam
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Seems like Ajax is about ready to use. Whether that will make a difference or there are enough numbers, not sure.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
10 months ago
Reply to  David Barry

Paras have often been deployed very frequently, in part because they are light role and can deploy quickly, but other lt role inf battalions are available! ‘Do mental’? No reason why deploying Paras could not be supported by other capbadges. We need a heavy div – Yes – we have deployed armour in large number several times over the years especially since the end of the Cold War. NATO’s principle opponent, Russia, has an army with thousands of armoured vehicles. For a country with our armoured experience and high defence spend, then provision of one heavy div is certainly a… Read more »