One of the British Army’s most prestigious brigades will operate as the core response unit for NATO this year, according to a news release.
The British Army say here that last Thursday (11 January), at a ceremony in Münster, Germany, the 1st German Netherlands Corps (1GNC) handed over command of NATO’s Land Component Command of the NATO Response Force to the UK’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC).
The ARRC officially began its tour of duty on 1 January 2024.
“Thousands of British Army soldiers are now on standby and ready to deploy within days as a first response unit against threats to NATO members. Following the handover ceremony, the Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps MP today (15 January) announced the UK will send some 20,000 personnel to take part in one of NATO’s largest deployments since the end of the Cold War.
Exercise Steadfast Defender will see 16,000 British Army troops deployed across eastern Europe from February to June 2024, with tanks, artillery and helicopters. Alongside approximately 4,000 personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, the British Army troops will join 31 NATO allies and Sweden, across multiple countries in Europe, testing NATO’s readiness in its 75th year.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps MP said:
“We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation whenever the call comes. Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers. Old enemies are reanimated. Battle lines are being redrawn. The tanks are literally on Ukraine’s lawn. And the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core. We stand at a crossroads.”
There will be live fire manoeuvres, parachute jumps, an Army and Navy joint helicopter force, and Army Special Operations Forces on deployment across eastern Europe.
“The British Army will deploy to test and strengthen the readiness of the UK’s land forces in defending NATO, and to bolster its ability to operate jointly with allied armed forces.”
This is good news. Trump won big in the Iowa caucus and voters like him; a triumph of charisma over common sense you might think but Biden’s age is something he can’t fix. If there is a Trump victory Europe will need the UK to assume a leadership role to deter Russia.
Theres only 3 years between them – Trump is hardly a spring chicken and quite frankly he’s not quite the ticket either is he.
I have to say this (and this is not meant as a slur on the yanks on here) but what the F is going on ?
Are you really saying these two are the best you can offer yoursleves (and the world) are these monoliths the true future of America-? Are you all as mad as T?
🖕
Could say much the same about British politics to be fair… is the current crop really the best?
I don’t entirely disagree. However I will say at least they have the time to get better (don’t laugh) and we don’t have the power to make decisions that can impact world politics (as much as it pains me to say that.)
Yeah I know what you mean.
Problem is, this government does both good and bad. Even just talking about defence, from one day to the next the story changes from good to bad.
We’ll see what happens later this year when we get a GE.
The UK does not have the resources or will to lead Europe and any idea that it does is delusional. And Europe is in mood to accept British leadership, on anything.
Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter in 1980 by asking this question of American voters ” Are you better off than you were four years ago.” By any measure they feel they aren’t. Europe and Ukraine are secondary issues to them. Inflation and the economy are what matter.
More resources would be good, but leadership is more about setting an example. This is what we have done in respect of Ukraine and continue to do.
I agree that getting inflation down and growing the economy – the feel good factor – are what people vote on. They are desirable objectives, However in my opinion they are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for a heathy society. They are excuses not reasons.
There’s a worrying possibility that if Trump gets in, his second term will see him do what he has already said – removing the US from NATO. Once that happens, expect Putin to invade the Baltic states.
This is the big concern. Trump prides himself on doing deals …he is promoting himself with comments like ‘I will stop wars’, aka selling out Ukraine and /or the Baltics.
His previous really great deal with the Taliban gave kaputin permission to invade Ukraine in the knowledge that USA and allies would do the minimum to defend Ukraine according to the Budapest Treaty. So he’s demonstrated profound incompetence in Diplomacy, International Relations and Military deployment. He takes no accountability for the avoidable deaths that resulted from the withdrawal from Afghan since that actually happened after he reluctantly left office. Fortunately the Supreme Court is busy deciding if Amendment 14 section 3 to the United States Constitution means what it says that officers who engage in Insurrection or supporting the same… Read more »
British Army taking over from the 1st German/Netherlands Corps. As the richest country in Europe, I would have thought Germany could have carried out this role on its own? Still, pretty thrifty sharing the costs with another country, perhaps this is something the UK should look into?
Germany has been the principal winner from the Marshall Plan and post war NATO defence led by USA. Thus US & UK defence spending has subsidised Germany and enabled their domination of EU industries such as Automotive and Chemicals. All that they saved by not investing in defence was invested in industry with the consensus that defence was not a German responsibility. History and reform.. So the war in Ukraine has burst the bubble of the Peace Dividend delusion and awoken member states to their responsibility for defence. Poland and Finland have acted on that given their history and the… Read more »
I agree that sounds sensible if others are compelled to spend similarly. I don’t like the idea of the UK standing up at the front holding a shield while some behind rifle through our back pockets
Even if we spent 3% of GDP on defence, much would be wasted. The list of UK defence procurement disasters is very long indeed. The Ajax IFV is years late and damaged the health of those who trialled it. Interestingly it is based on the ASCOD 2, a development of the Spanish-Austrian ASCOD. Haven’t heard of any issues with theirs.
On this basis the UK should have been a major power in aviation post-war having had years of experience of both design and production during WW2, yet France caught up and overhauled us rapidly. Who has the bigger aviation sector now, and for years before now? France built the Rafale on its own.
“British troops to lead NATO’s first line of defence” With what? 😅😂😆
The ARRC.
Danielle, one for your journal.
“I don’t think the world has felt more on the brink of war than we’ve seen in the last 100 years.” (Sic)
Jonathan Gullis MP
BBC Politics Live, 17.1.2024.
This is our Leadership.
Neither pollie mentioned the deplorable state of our armed forces, God in Heaven help us.
I think Tom’s comment was somewhat sarcastic….
Absolutely. For every service person joining the Forces, 3 leave. There is no sense of urgency in recruitment (which is in the hands of Capita, God help us) and retention is a massive issue even in the Reserves: in my experience as a Reservist the head shed was more interested in favouring some over others regardless of effect. One female Lance-Corporal burst into tears when pulled out of a fitness test….she is now a full Corporal. Adventure Training was for some, not others. I know of several older lads who quietly got on with things but left through disillusionment over… Read more »
All I can say is its a good job they didnt ask us to do the 2nd & 3rd lines as well…