The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) annual statistics on armed forces equipment and formations have been delayed again, with the release now expected in February 2025.
Initially scheduled for 31 October 2024, the publication was first postponed to January 2025 due to a data quality review. The MOD has not elaborated on the specific issues causing this additional delay.
These statistics provide detailed insights into the UK’s defence capabilities, including the number and types of vessels, land equipment, aircraft, and military formations.
The data also include information sourced from the Department for Transport on militarily-useful British-registered vessels.
Describing the publication, the MOD states:
“This is an annual publication which provides information on the numbers and types of equipment and formations of the UK armed forces. Equipment and formations statistics have been presented based on the UK armed forces areas: land, maritime and air. Also provided are data sourced from the Department for Transport (DfT) on militarily-useful British-registered vessels.”
While the delay extends the timeline for analysts and the public to access this data, further updates are expected as the new release date approaches. The MOD has not indicated whether the delay will impact other scheduled reports or reviews.
Here are the main points from last year’s publication.
Maritime
At 1 April 2023, there were 10 submarines and 72 vessels in the UK armed forces (59 vessels in the Royal Navy Surface Fleet; 13 vessels in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary).
Land
In the UK armed forces, there were 3,207 pieces of Combat Equipment at 1 April 2023, consisting of:
- 845 Armoured Personnel Carriers
- 1,480 Protected Mobility Vehicles
- 882 Armoured Fighting Vehicles
At 1 April 2023, there were 32 Regular Army Battalions in the Infantry and 16 Army Reserves Battalions.
Air
At 1 April 2023, there were 564 Fixed-wing aircraft and 294 Rotary-wing aircraft in the UK armed forces. In addition, there were 194 Unmanned Aircraft Systems as at 1 April 2023.
Waiting for all of the Tippex to dry
Well, will be dropping like a stone in all areas, yet according to HMG endless grandstanding and spin we are “Stepping up”
Minor detail, 32 Infantry Battalions? I think 31, 3 RGR never formed.
Despite all the talk from this gov and the previous gov(s) about how they’re taking defence seriously. I really wish they did, Russia has occupied parts of another European country and are now using North Korean troops, the Middle East could still flare up into a major conflict (which we’d get involved with), an unpredictable US administration from 20th Jan and the CCP still going with their expansionist claims in the South China Sea.
We are not taking defence seriously, needs to be a minimum 3% of GDP on defense. I get some people in the UK think we should be spending the money elsewhere, NHS bla bla, but they dont understand the benefits an increase in defence spending has on the country. Not only will the country be better defended, depending on if they’re efficient with the budget (doubt it), but it’ll create 1000s more highly paid highly skilled jobs, new technologies will be developed which can benefit people in different ways and usually science benefits greatly from it, prosthetic limbs being a major example.
For me personally, my top priorities for the UK is sorting out the military, growing the economy and improving the infrastructure.
What you say is correct yet, the future procurements will fail to match the outgoing equipment but that has always been the case. The UK Treasury doesn’t weigh the current conflicts as a fulcrum to buy more armour nor aircraft but notes that in a separate column of concern hoping it will quickly fizzle out the minute there are ceasefires. On another subject, suddenly the UK and Europe have woken up to the realization that there is not an effective missile shield and are worried about this growing threat……watch this space!
Just a thought… if you took the same Sampson system from a T45 and located, say, three of them in various locations around the UK, would that work? Thinking more about the infrastructure. They would also be able to store far more reloads than the T45. Yes, they would be fixed – so is Fylingdales – but at least they would be able to defend themselves.
Totally agree.
The lack of any emphasis on defence since 1995 has put our country on a downward spiral.
I understand that after the cold ended we needed to down size.
We are now in a new cold war situation. Russia annexing Crimea in 2014. Should have put alarm bells in government. China increasing its military and escalating presence in the south China sea.
Finally invasion into Ukraine by Russia. Should have put defence spending at the top of any government’s agenda.
Now you said 3% of GDP. Minimum should be 5% GDP.
BAD DECISIONS..
C130 fleet taken out to early without cover this was ment to be 2033.
Tornado fleet though old could have carried on still 2025.
Harrier fleet in 2010
That’s just the air force..
Navy has been decimated also our Army.
Latest government will probably do just as bad as there reputation in defence is deplorable
3 rgr was partially formed and then redistributed. Owing to the nature of the redistribution it may still exist on paper?
Alternatively: they could be counting Gib Reg or the new PDT battalion in London.
It didn’t “slip”, its publication is deliberately being delayed.
Jack, I agree.
“MERLIN” used to be the database that stored all details of “vehicle” assets within the British Army worldwide. It contained details of: type, Reg No, UIN, location etc. unless they have scrapped it, there should be no reason why they couldn’t produce a report in less than a week.
Nope still there 👍
Nope still there 👍
It’s Treason and Corruption . Uk still sliding down the table superfast . Yet countries with smaller budgets such as Poland and Turkey are not only much better in critical mass of numbers , they have their own homegrown development programs all marching to the same beat of national interest. Turkey is now developing Air raft Carriers , frigates, tanks , drones, missiles , afv apc of all variants and now a 6th generation fighter . Yet uk is busy cutting budget, allowing fragmented strategy to continue and billions wasted every year on legalised corruption from housing to who knows what 🙂
When you see this kind of avoidance it means one thing. Juggling.
The information contained in this report is incredibly quick and easy to pull together.
In terms of the Army….Mention has been made about the MERLIN database for equipment with a Equipment Registration Mark (ERM) which is mainly but not just vehicles; quite interesting to look up merlinarchivedotuk.
I was an Equipment Support Manager in DLO; all ESMs know exactly how many equipments they have at all times.
It really is not hard to know how many Infantry battalions etc there are in the Orbat.
I agree that the Report could be constructed in a week – easily.
Considering it provides no context to whether the equipment is actually usable or capable of being repaired, agreed it would be insanely easy and quick to publish this data.
There’s not much kit left; surely it can’t take very long to count it all!