The Defence Committee explored the UK’s readiness to fulfil its commitments to NATO during an evidence session with Defence Secretary John Healey, Permanent Secretary David Williams, and Lieutenant General Sir Rob Magowan.

Discussions centred on the UK’s capability to respond to high-intensity conflict, particularly on NATO’s eastern flank, and the importance of ongoing strategic defence reforms.

Healey reiterated the UK’s central role in NATO, highlighting its contributions to collective defence. He emphasised, “We commit the largest part of our Armed Forces across the board to NATO. We commit our independent nuclear deterrent to NATO… We make a massive contribution to NATO. More is asked of us, as it is of all nations.”

Healey acknowledged the strategic importance of NATO, stating, “It is the most successful security alliance in the history of the world… NATO is 32 nations strong, with challenges that we can now meet together, but with the confidence as individual nations that, should any of us come under attack, we will not face those adversaries and threats alone.”

Responding to questions from Mike Martin MP about the UK’s ability to deploy a warfighting division to NATO’s eastern flank, Healey confirmed that detailed assessments have been conducted through a “NATO test.” While specific answers were not shared publicly, he offered to brief the Committee in a classified session. “It is a concern to me that as the leading European NATO nation we are able to make and fulfil our commitments to NATO,” Healey said.

Lieutenant General Sir Rob Magowan underscored the UK’s readiness, stating, “If the British Army was asked to fight tonight, it would fight tonight… However, there is a range of operational risks and operational strengths associated with that division. That is exactly what the strategic defence review is addressing.”

The discussion highlighted the challenges of sustaining high-intensity warfare. Magowan acknowledged, “There are operational risks associated with sustaining that war… We have got more to do to ensure that we can endure the fight. That is what the SDR [Strategic Defence Review] is about.”

He also pointed to the critical role of industrial strategy in ensuring resilience, noting, “Embedding a sovereign industrial base, and an allied industrial base, is essential as the situation changes on the ground.”

Addressing concerns from the Committee’s previous report, “Ready for War?”, which questioned the Armed Forces’ readiness for high-intensity conflict, Magowan stated, “We are ready to go to war, but… there are operational risks associated with sustaining that war. Looking at a particular country in isolation masks the fact that the strength of the alliance is the 32 nations within it.”

Healey pushed the role of the Strategic Defence Review in addressing these challenges, adding, “I want to ensure that we meet [NATO’s asks], and that they are consistent with what we will do to develop our forces and strength in the future.”

Lisa West
Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.

16 COMMENTS

    • We probably could, in an emergency, if we get every working and deployable piece of kit together and lean ‘heavily’ on AR and probably a limited call up of reservists…

      We could probably assemble a rather anemic Division, but it would all but break tbe army to do it….

      The reality is, we are now set up to deploy at Brigade level, centred on three Battalions plus supports.

      A Division would only be contemplated if war
      was looking very likely.

        • No in a word Paul…
          Sneak SDSR25 peak for you
          “in conclusion the Army will be smaller, more high tech, lethal and deployable”

          Less people, more drones and fireworks….

    • Nice informed insight there John, do you have any insight you could share that helped form your opinion?

      What do you think the nearly 90,000 personnel in British land forces do all day that prevents them from forming a field formation consisting of more than one brigade?

  1. A classified briefing?
    Assume that’s things like readiness and supply levels.
    I can detail 3 Division right now, and
    It’s not a full Division in the traditional sense of the word.
    Take the condition of 1 RHA and 19 RA for starters.
    I so wish those who are involved in these committee’s could actually grill ministers properly rather than giving them essentiallya free ride, which Healey had the other day when left unchallenged to spin his story lines.

    • Daniele, Do you know the manning levels of units in 3xx, availability of key battlewinning equipment, collective training state, and quantity and state of stockpiles of munitions and Attrition Reserve equipments? If not, then that will be covered in the classified brefings.

    • What’s a divisions in the traditional sense of the word? I seem to think the division has changed multiple times over the centuries. If our current division is not a proper division then can you tell us what is a proper division?

      How would you describe a military unit that consisted of more than one brigade but less than two divisions.

  2. Unless there is a major investment of funds in the Armed Forces and a competent reorganisation of the forces based in reality not fantasy then I don’t see us being able to deploy more than a few Battalions at any one time. Just look at what we could deploy to Afghanistan when there was more money and manpower

  3. As this moron been drug tested, we do not have a full Div, what ever they are smoking in GSHQ they need to pass it around. We do not have a full Div we do not even have enough Artillery for it unless you include the Light gun we gave every thing else away.
    When will these people be honest, up front and stop bluffing and being yes men and go back to being soldiers and leaders? its sad and fools only the stupid and the Government.

  4. If we are the leading European NATO Nation then I am scared, very scared. Thank ago arusdia failed in defeating Ukrain in a week that’s all I can say, at least we have a hope that a real fighting force in Poland might offer resistance soon while we sit on our hands talking about it.

  5. Ok what if Vlad launches some ballistic or cruise missiles at our military bases or cities tonight?

    Our lack of long range air defence systems is shameful.

    • Its not just about armed forces readiness. Do we have the Industrial capacity to fight a war of attrition with Russia, NK, Iran ? I fear we dont.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here