The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the future scale of British Army activity at its major training facility in Canada will depend on the outcome of the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

In written answers to Parliament, ministers set out recent and planned use of the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Alberta, one of the Army’s most important overseas training areas. Responding to questions from Conservative MP James Cartlidge, Veterans Minister Al Carns said BATUS “continues to be used for both training and experimentation activity”, but made clear that longer-term decisions have yet to be taken.

Figures released by the MOD show that 18 training exercises have taken place at BATUS over the past decade, with activity significantly reduced during and immediately after the COVID-19 period. According to the data provided:

  • 3 exercises took place in 2016–17
  • 3 in 2017–18
  • 2 in 2018–19
  • 2 in 2019–20
  • 0 in 2020–21
  • 0 in 2021–22
  • 2 in 2022–23
  • 2 in 2023–24
  • 2 in 2024–25
  • 2 in the current 2025–26 financial year

The MOD also confirmed that one further training exercise is currently scheduled for the next financial year, though no additional activity has yet been approved beyond that point.

Asked whether the Army plans to increase its use of BATUS in the current or next Parliament, the minister repeated that future levels of activity remain undecided, stating that “future use of BATUS is dependent upon the outcome of the Defence Investment Plan.”

BATUS, located at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, provides the British Army with access to vast training space unavailable in the UK, enabling live-fire armoured manoeuvre training and large-scale experimentation. It has historically been central to preparing armoured and combined arms formations for high-intensity conflict.

George Allison
George Allison
George Allison is the founder and editor of the UK Defence Journal. He holds a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and specialises in naval and cyber security topics. George has appeared on national radio and television to provide commentary on defence and security issues. Twitter: @geoallison
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43 COMMENTS

  1. It’s getting very repetitive now! Everything depending on the DIP are we to really to believe they have no clue what money they are going to have and where and when it’s going?

    • I think what’s happened is that the MOD produced a DIP that matched the latest SDR, and the Treasury said no way, go away and rewrite the SDR to match what we are prepared to give you. Then Reeves discovered the latest £28B black hole and the whole process just collapsed.
      My guess is no DIP before the May Elections, and that we won’t like it.
      Starmer doesn’t give a shit, he knows he’ll be gone by then. Anyway, he hates defence.

      • Yet there doesn’t seem to be an ‘investment plan’ holding up any other government departments does there?they get to splash£bs Willy Nelly!

        • I guess, if you’re at the bottom of the pile, you get whatever (if anything) is left after the other government departments have filled their troughs.
          It’s a sad fact that our government doesn’t like this country, its history, or its people (us). So why would they want to spend money defending us?

          • Hold on a minute, and before anyone else short on memory starts on the current incumbents, the Tories trashed £4Billion worth of Nimrod AEW’s with jcb’s, not long after taking power in 2010.

            They then spent the next 14 years hollowing out, and destroying the UK armed forces. They even seriously considered selling HMS Prince of Wales, before it was even completed!

            They sold the UK’s amphibious assault capabilities.
            Sold other vessels ahead of their time.
            Privatised military transport.
            Privatised the mess halls.
            Privatised other stuff…

            In short, the House of Commons Library, calculated that due to the Conservative lack of investment in the armed forces, they effectively stripped £90 Billion from defence, during their term in office.

      • Apparently it’s due in March. But yes I’d read similar, it’s gone from being review-led to budget-mposed , like so many other defence reviews, despite the promises.

        • Treasury Brain is the worst thing that happens to Britain every single time these plans are being written up.

          At every opportunity, their sole and unrelenting objective is to choose the most managed decline path possible. If someone suggests investment or improvement, they faint.

  2. Al Carns says: “British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Alberta, [is] one of the Army’s most important overseas training areas”. Yes, it is, or at least should be. It was always established to enable a full armoured Battlegroup to conduct exercises in a life firing phase against hard unmanned targets and a phase using deployed vehicles and tactical simulators (SIMFIRE) for weapons effects to allow force-on force.

    Apparently it is not used for that anymore and Mr Carns coyly avoids mentioning that. I presume the exercises now are very small scale and do not use armour as the armour was apparently relocated to the UK. The tank fleet reduced to 227 on the active list way back in 2010 (Cameron defence review) and the army continued to train with a prepositioned BG of equipment out there, so I am not sure what prompted the move of BATUS armour back to the UK.

    • Morning Graham.
      I was going to mention this point but you beat me to it!
      With these charlatans it’s always the detail they don’t tell you that matters.
      It was reported a few years ago that due to the needs of Cabrit, the varied Armoured vehicles complements at BATUS were withdrawn. It sort of made sense, having them in Europe where needed?
      I also understand the army also now use the training area at Ras Madrakah in Oman.
      As you reference, I understand the BG sized all aems live fire exercises that were conducted at BATUS cannot be replicated at any of our own TAs, even SPTA.
      Back then, HMG confirmed it would remain and still be used but I’ve always assumed by Light forces only.
      BATUS had it’s own complement of Challenger, Titan and Trojan, AS90, and other types assume 432s and Warrior too.
      BATUSZ flight of the AAC with it’s Gazelles also long dead.
      There was another site we used out there at Wainwright, I don’t know what’s happened to that.

    • Used to do Wainwright every year mate, light role training area, not sure if that’s still open for training. BATUS, simple matter of limited armoured formations at BG level left to train anymore, may save HMG a bit of rent or something, to be wasted on other matters.

      • Thanks mate. It’s not a name that crops up much anymore.
        BATUS is unique, I’d keep it.
        Gabs made an interesting point today, unsure how true it is, that it’s also the only range we have where real CBRN agents can be used, so for that alone you’d imagine it be retained. I’d not read of it used in conjunction with CBRN before.
        But with this government, who knows.

        • Could be a CBRN range there mate, quite feasible I suppose due to its size and isolation, however I never went, always Wainwright for us. Maybe one of the blokes on here who are ex armour could shed some light on that? 👍

  6. Why is it that everything always seems to depend on the next Review? The only result seems to be less gets done and it costs more. China gets things done because it streamlines everything… US gets things done because hey throw money at it.. Russia gets things done becayse they buy NK stuff and steal other people’s territory…

    We need a plan. Best option would be to set up a Streamlining Review to review how we can do things better.

  7. Given the state of the Army we hardly need this expensive overseas training area. Get rid of and train in Scotland instead. Use the Royal Estates

    • 😉 If that was an anti royal vibe, fair enough, not my position but ok.
      If serious, not a great idea given most of Scotland’s terrain and that needed for Armoured manoeuvre!
      Apart from Kirkubright I don’t think any areas have been used for Armoured live fire up there.
      And as all the assets are now either around SPTA, Catterick, or forward in Germany and Estonia something nearer would be logistically better.
      SPTA is used now but even that areas huge size, by UK standards, is nothing compared to BATUS.
      Maybe the Army will muddle through without it, as usual.

  8. It seems that the DIP is being horse-traded on the fly to make the numbers fit. I’m starting to believe that ministers really haven’t got a clue about what’s in and what’s out, because nobody does. I wonder what percentage remains in the haggle. The job that should have been sorted last Autumn will take to Spring as the circle can’t be squared and the SDR can’t be delivered with current budgets, yet they are still trying to. Give it up, guys. Do your best and tell the government what has had to be cut this time around. The ever lengthening time is costing more than getting it wrong would. Only it wouldn’t be wrong to choose between options that fall short of an unachievable perfection. In fact, it’s not choosing that’s getting it wrong.

    • Cuts and more cuts, including zero adittional orders for planes, ships or tanks. One of the aircraft carriers is in danger with this government.

  10. To think they used to be med man 1-7, my battalion did the last ever med man 7 when it was binned altogether, The cold weather certainly did some damage on that ex and the old wriggly tin huts were atrocious But it was great when all they all disappeared for a better permanent accommodation I certainly did a few more med mans during my career.. and sadly a few lives taken as a a result..
    but Batus was always a good ex to do especially with RR to so fabulous places

  11. Surely if we are to be ready for a war at short notice, it makes no sense to have a lot of assets thousands of miles away anyway. If our military is too small as everyone seems to constantly point out, we need them all back here and ready. We don’t want to be shipping tanks back at wartime with subs looking for targets.

    • But you have to train to be ready for war. BATUS has been the go to place since the Cold War. You can have whatever you like on paper, but unless units train to fight as a battle group, previously brigade, previously division, they would be going into combat without training at that scale. Even though numbers have been cut, I think BATUS should be properly utilised. We simply do not have anywhere else of this size to practise armoured manoeuvre. It is not cheap though, and that is why we are having this discussion.

      • Understood but in the current threat landscape, it’s probably better to have them in Europe perhaps. We would not fancy getting them back across the Atlantic if war broke out in Europe.

        • I get your point, but soldiers are sent there to train at a scale we simply don’t have anywhere else. The cuts to the military are ridiculous enough already, so we should be fully investing in the forces that we have. The threat was there, and even more so during the Cold War, but more was invested.

          Cuts to personnel numbers and tanks make headlines. These cuts go mostly unnoticed, apart from groups like this.

  12. This government is delaying the inevitable having just watched the secretary state for defence at todays defence committee.
    It is becoming clear to me that after now 15 u turns the DIP will be a damp squib. Get ready for layoffs at Yeovil for starters Rolls Royce aero engines moving lock stock and barrel to the US.

  15. The Army needed BATUS, an Army has to train, sad state of affairs when we can not afford to hold a stock of vehicles for training, Having been Batus a few times its hard work but its great there is nothing else. If can not train and do not have the vehicles to train then really all is lost. Saving money on paper looks great but its a fools saving.
    Saying that i doubt now we have even enough working kit to re stock BATUS, defo no AS90’s or MLRS spare. As for the DIP that will be disopointing and will lead by cost not need. I see things getting better as the rot has stopped but will take years to fix every thing. And the UK will never have the money to do it. And no Government has the will power to fix the Army, let alone issues in Air Force and Navy.

  17. No reason why we can’t buy some cheap as chips M1A1s from U.S. holdings and use them in Canada. Now we are losing rifled 120mm (which the Ukrainians rave about) gunnery training (one of the key parts of BATUS training) would be not too dissimilar for CR3 crews. Also BATUS perfect for drone/anti drone training. Saw ‘Swingfire’ live firing there once. To this day, no-one knows which way they went…

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