Britain would be ready to fight as part of a NATO response in 2025, but senior defence leaders today acknowledged there are still risks to the UK’s fighting readiness.
Pressed by Fred Thomas MP on whether the Armed Forces could realistically respond to an unpredictable Russian assault on NATO’s eastern flank, Defence Secretary John Healey pointed to existing deployments: “In Estonia, we’d already have around 1,000 troops there, an integrated deterrence and defence planning and exercising already in place with the Estonian force.”
He emphasised that any response would be collective: “We would respond not just as the UK. We’d respond as part of a 32-strong NATO Alliance.” He said this unity had helped deter Russia so far and underpinned the UK’s own commitments in the Strategic Defence Review.
However, when asked to specify what else the UK could field beyond the Estonia deployment, General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, declined to detail numbers but offered a candid admission: “We’d be the first to say we, of course, would be ready to fight, but we’d also say and acknowledge that there are risks in our ability to do that.”
She framed the Strategic Defence Review and associated reforms as a direct response to those capability gaps: “Everything that we’ve talked about so far in the Defence Review, and indeed the reform, is about making us more lethal and stronger as part of a stronger NATO.”
Healey reinforced that the UK is contributing to NATO’s defence planning: “NATO has a plan for exactly what you’re describing. The UK has roles to play within that plan, and if that sort of action was undertaken by Russia, that’s the response that they should expect.”
Headless chickens…
We are certainly not ready to fight!
Depends in what domain?
Air war – yes we are and RAF would make shirt work of RuAF.
Surface navy – even the weakened RN would be able to deal with that. UKR dealt with the Russian fleet with no navy and British advice.
Subsurface – with the reduced fleet with tails we’d struggle alone. What we have with P8, T23 and Astute is super excellent. We just do t have enough to man mark each of their assets to day 1 mission kill them. So there will be subs rattling around doing damage till they run out of munitions.
Land – we simply don’t have the mass of troops and kit anymore. However, Apache and F35B would do a huge amount to support others and we can undertake a wide range of specialist roles.
A good example being our lack of artillery
Not even sure that is true. One on one yeah we don’t have the mass or kit to win a land war, but we would never be alone when fighting Russia and the combined European armies far exceed Russian land forces in every domain, especially now most of their more modern kit has been destroyed in Ukraine.
My point was there are some domains which UK alone can expect to put in a good showing.
It wouldn’t actually take that much to extend those dominant areas. We use to be the very best at ASW and have the mass to do the job very well. We can again with some well though out spending.
I agree that with eNATO combined the Russians don’t stand a chance but getting the Spanish or Portuguese to participate might be quite hard particularly if it involves spending any money……
Fair.
Although don’t really needed the med counties. UK/France/Germany/Poland would have no choice than to be involved. Once combined with say Nordic and eastern European counties and still Russia is massively out numbered and out gunned
But we are more than ready to spout non committal bluster.
The Sky News Wargame showed the UK is not capable of fighting conventionally alone.
I was listening to this Wargame last night, although not in the least bit surprising, it was nonetheless still chilling.
But there is a faint hope that the tide on defence importance has been improving since 2021, very very slowly, with increasing political pressure to improve things.
Yes things are going very slowly in the right direction. A lot now rests on the Autumn defence plan. Especially as SDSR 25 was promising, but incredibly vague in terms of equipment composition and numbers.
SDR , only words and bla bla bla , at the moment no firm orders
I won’t hold my breath until there are firm increased orders.
The F35 order was announced by BW and had a budget line for ages.
I’m not sure how it’s physically possible for the UK to fight a conventional war alone. Unless we are fighting the Republic of Ireland.
It’s not surprising we lack the amphibious capability to invade Russia. Even in 1854 last time we tried we had the French with us.
What the Wargame illustrated is that the UK can’t even defend itself from a Russian conventional attack.
The war game scenario by Sky news is nonsense, Russia doesn’t have the assets they claim. Is just a pay day for Ben Wallace. Suggest not getting your defence news from the Murdoch family.
Outside Falklands, when has the British forces ever fought alone. Even in the old colony days most wars were fought with a combo of British and native forces. Fighting alone isn’t a realistic scenario these days.
I am most certainly not ready to fight for this government.
Nobody in their right mind fights for their government. I certainly wouldn’t fight for the government, or King, and feel increasingly little for the country. I would fight for my family though, who happen to live in this country, and anyone who threatens them will get no mercy if push comes to shove.
I suspect that’s always been the main reason people have been willing to put it on the line. For love.
Ha ha ha, wow 😂😂😂! Shit the bed what planet are these politicos and nodding dog head sheds on? We have so many capability gaps that we would struggle to provide any sort of independent self sufficient home grown formation of any size. Years of neglect, waste and disinterest by various political organisations have resulted in a hollowed out military with just a few role specific platforms of any worth!
Yes we would be part of any NATO formation to face and fight the Russians, as the Brits are up for a scrap, but the days of bringing a tier 1 Division to any fight are well and truly over!
As an aside, if reserves are called and required I for one would no longer fight for this country on any external enterprise. However, would I fight any internal fight to retain and defend our land and history, the land our families and forefathers are buried in, the land being betrayed and given away to so many by so few! Yes! I would use my skills, experience and knowledge to defend this land, from the enemies within, uniformed and non uniformed! The winds of change are blowing, we just have to decide what direction we want to go.
Very well said.
That is what I would expect from the traitors of Reform. You openly admit you will not honour your reserve commitments while no doubt thinking you still have the right to your pension. This is why right wing extremists like you are unfit to serve and should never have been allowed into the military.
I have no doubt you would fight for Putin within the country. The last time we clashed directly you were defending the people calling for a military coup if Labour won the election; More open Reformers.
Stop pretending to be pro-British. Like the other Reform propagandists on this site you are just here to destroy us from within.
Do you think the Non UK born BAME and the pronoun brigade would fight? Those somali born, stabby drug dealers who’s single parent hogs social housing in inner London for instance?
In our existing , capability strapped situation the moment UK forces engage Ru forces in Estonia, then Ru cruise and ballistic missiles will cripple our too few power stations and critical infrastructure because we have next to nothing to shoot them down.
When the lights go out, and hacking stops benefits being paid, we will genuinely see just how far the resilience of this nation has fallen.
Some will sigh up, but with the enemy fighting into an EU member state, ai think a lot of the public may see a Britian first approach.and not want to face the realities that life isn’t all social media and Turkey teeth and go and die in a ditch for another country.
Absolutely yes.
If you go back to ancient greek and you have people talking about the youth of today (then) not being tough or ready to fight.
However whenever the sh*t hits the fan, people step up to fight for their country. Look at ww2 with mass racism and sexism in the country and yet everyone stood up and did what they could
Absolute nonsense to indicate BAME or any other part of our country our communities would not step up once called upon.
Mass racism? You would be hard-pressed to find any BAME people in the UK before the late 1950s/early 1960s.
David is right you only have to look at today’s divisive politics and activist groups like “Palestine Action” Their members are willing to smash UK military equipment ….. but if the country was invaded by a foreign power would they fight? … no chance !! They would roll over and declare “We deserved it”
Your joking right? Britisn has always been multi cultural and beliefs and in the 30s and 40s there were huge race /belief friction in society, plus obviously sexism.
Not joking
Example: In the year 1950 the UK population was 50.4 million people of which roughly 0.05% was BAME, (so 25,000)
It would have been even less in the 1930s, You can look up the stats if need to (Note this is for mainland UK not Empire)
So in most towns you would have hardly seen anyone who was not white in that era.
So no, back then it was very much monoculture.
Steve were you in ancient Greece, if not how do you know they were moaning about the “youth of today”? Joking aside I think attitudes and outlooks have changed, we as a country have a massive issue with a lack of integration within certain communities. Certainly over the last 20 years groups have become so polarised and isolated. In the 30s and 40s, as Bringer stated, the percentage of “BAME” for example was limited, and the people who were here were mostly Commonwealth with a link and a love of the “home country”. Roll forward to the current time, there is such an increase of people with no link, history or even consideration for the Country, that there would be a serious lack of volunteers to fight any future conflict, and in fact, the so called 5th column elements would actually be a more serious issue for the security services than during WW2.
Of course I wasn’t in ancient Greece but you might have of these things called books. Greece has a lot of philosophers that wrote about life back then.
Every generation complains about the next.
Steve you replied to my part taking the piss being in Ancient Greece, but I see you ignored the rest of the post which destroyed your previous argument about BAME (terminology no longer in use in most civil service organisations) in the 30s/40s! It’s all about owning it when we get things wrong mate! And you were wrong.
Yeah I did, I’m not getting into racist arguments. Too many of them going on recently with the likes of reform / maga.
You are sad as obviously not ex mil as I no longer have any reserve liability, oh dear another clown without subject matter experience but quick at frothing at the mouth. I actually voted Lib Dem on occasion (if you ever knew who Colchester local MP used to be) so your presumption my little Iranian troll farm special saddo is incorrect.
Had to read your reply again for a giggle, but if you’re scared of what may happen in the future, you can thank your sad racist traitor leftie mates! It’s ok, if your scared I’m sure there’s a PIP claim there somewhere to go along with the rest of your disability payments ❤️❤️❤️ Up up the IDF up up the IDF up up the IDF!
The best comment in the article is in the title “… but risks remain”.
I suppose those “risks” include the complete destruction of London and every other major city. Sort of in the “risk” category one should think.
Very well said good post mate 🍺 👍
I’m not surprised Naysmith declined.
Because they try to hide the truth of what politicians have done to our military since 1995.
Luckily, unlike senior officers, posters on UKDJ are not gagged.
“Luckily, unlike senior officers, posters on UKDJ are not gagged”
Yes but with respect to you and that particular comment, posters on UKDJ aren’t running the armed forces, police or the Country though, infact “We” are just chatting and sharing thoughts in the comments section of what is a very good defence reporting site set up by mostly non serving civillians.
And actually in realility, that’s all it is when you actually sit back and think about it.
That’s also why I don’t take the comments here too seriously because that would be silly.
“Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you read”.
Well said.
Yes but it’s cathartic.
Yes, you seem fascinated by that fact, HW, you make that point all the time. 😄
Likewise in any subject. I like football, for example, there are countless fan discussion sites. But these fans do not pick the team. It is an interest forum.
I’m sure in your previous guises here, which by your word usage I’ve had my suspicions, you were as serious as others are including me.
Power to change the world or not, I myself consider the subject a serious one, and approach it in that manner.
But by all means continue to act the 🤡, it brings light relief for sure.
Facts are facts DM. you seem to make points all the time and i’m simply pointing out that nothing you or anyone else says on here or other sites like it, makes any difference WHERE IT COUNTS.
“Previous different guises here” ? not me, I’ve always been me, maybe your suspisions of word usage are a little bit paranoid ? maybe ? I don’t know.
100% agree that the subjects are serious, that’s why I visit but I’m not deluded enough to rant and jesticulate (like some do on here) in a comments section, I prefer direct contact via email or letter to those with the power to make changes (not that it gets me anywhere).
Acting the “Halfwit” comes simply to me, it’s all about fun with a side of sarcasm and a dollop of intellectual observation (not that most will ever get the last part, let alone the humour part), It’s just entertainment and like all entertainers, not everyone will like it or allow themselves to like it, that’s just basic human nature, just like taking written words the wrong way and then not wanting to lose face by showing future agreement or Humility.
You keep being you DM, you certainly command an audience here (from what i have seen since participating) and I like your comments as much as anyone, I just see most of the effort going to waste on a few Fans that’s all.
“Football is for pansys, Rugby is for real men”. Just sayin !
I think, mate, a balance in life is best.
There is room for halfwits, and the more serious minded.
Paranoia. Maybe so! There has been plenty of double IDs here, so if I’m wrong there I have no issues about apologising.
Nobodies posting style is an issue if one is polite.
So, as I’m one of the serious ones, I’m noe going back to being serious discussing defence stuff. 👍
I’m not knocking your belief that your comments are important, far from it, I like reading these sort of passionate interactions with fellow forum chatters, It’s the same on every social media site, luckily we can all freely join in, in whichever way we feel happy doing so.
Being polite is my middle name, it’s next to being sarcastic, Ironic and humorous, the “Halfwit” name is a carry over from a TVR group (now that lot really do get serious !)
Double ID’s are everywhere, it’s all a game to some, oh and for a month or so I thought you were female, then it clicked !
“Carry on rewardless”. (that has a double meaning just incase you missed it!).
👌🤡
And another thought. General Naysmith might not want to talk orbats for reluctance to discuss facts.
But we can. For viewers of this site with an interest who might not know.
So why don’t we?
Ready my arse!
Says who? what a load of deluded rubbish, fight what with? hard language? we have not a lot, low on ammo, most kit is VOR awaiting spares, and we have 12/14 working SPG’s.
Why would they not just keep quiet or pass it of with “We see no prospect of imminent conflict with Russia?”
Our armed forces are in a dire state and everyone knows it. Government lets them down time after time.
I’m ready to be the next British astronaut but I’m pretty sure I won’t be going. We’re not ready to fight anyone. Just more government bullshit.
With 80 MBT,s and 150 aircraft I don t see logical to go to fight with Russia, other situation is to defend the country.
‘Ready to fight’ is for the news headlines and does not reflect reality, simply a redirect rather than admit the reality. Yes they could fight, that is a broad phrase and a technicality that is easily met, but likely could not come close to meeting the actual agreed upon UK NATO commitments which have been planned around and NATO would rely on but likely not receive.
The uk has committed to provide one of the NATO Reserve Corps (2 UK Divisions plus HQ), they have not dropped this commitment despite knowing full well that they would struggle to field a single Division even if pulling from various parts of the Army, this would also likely not be an expected armoured Division and would rely heavily on light infantry. On top of this, there is a battle group committed to a deployment in Estonia, whilst I’m not arguing the value of this, this battle group would be needed for the agreed Strategic Reserve Corps yet it is on the front lines double hatted and would not be available, leaving even fewer available resources for the Strategic Reserve Corps that is already severely lacking.
JEF, need I say more now that the Albions are gone and MRSS is likely a decade or more away.
Referring to “risks” is intentionally misleading, there are many known capability gaps, they are not risks they are decisions with known consequences. Risks are unforeseen circumstances, in this context it could be forces being deployed potentially being targeted on route and not being able to deliver as expected. Not having the mass and equipment you agreed to provide to begin with is a liability you are fully aware of and is not unforeseen, in most cases relating to the Army it is a choice. Currently there does not seem to be any movement towards meeting these commitments, no urgency in filling gaps and incorporating new technologies.
There is much talk of NATO first, being a part of a broad alliance, but there doesn’t seem to be much focus on the ability to actually meet NATO commitments beyond saying we spend X, which does not translate to capability. Being part of a 32 strong alliance doesn’t mean that there is no need to provide what has been agreed and would be required. The purpose of NATO is to pool resources to plan around agreed structures, force levels and commitments and these actually being met to provide collective responsibility and deterrence.
If the U.K, which is supposed to be the second most senior member of the alliance is not willing to do what is necessary to supply what it has agreed, why should any other country that isn’t on the front line do so, especially under British leadership ? and there goes the foundation of NATO along with its value as a deterrence.
If the U.K. is not willing to do what is necessary to provide a Strategic Reserve Corps, it should drop the commitment and admit it won’t be there and re-assess its position in NATO inline with what it is actually willing to provide and drop the grandstanding nonsense, reliability as an ally is more important that spin to try and maintain a false position that cannot be delivered.
You act like we are different to anyone else though, are the French, Germans, Americans, Russian or Chinese ready to fight a major war tomorrow? No, most are in a much worse position than us. That’s what peace time looks like. Things are very different to the Cold War. We don’t have to defend Europe or western civilisation on our own any more because we won the battle of civilisation a long time ago. We only need to help now with dozens of other wealthy powerful nations.
I would say that china is far more ready than most..
How would they feed and fuel themselves in any kind of war?
The CCP states the malacca problem is their number one Achilles heel.
Hi Jim China is the biggest food producer in the world By a margin. It now produces 25% of the worlds grain as well as a good percentage of most of the rest of the food type.. as of 2025 China is again food independent and produces about 770million tons of grain.. it also about a years worth of strategic reserves in food.. oils wise it produces 45% of its own needs and has moved to stocking insane levels of strategic stocks of oil.. around 290million barrels is fuel in its strategic reserves but it’s estimated that it has almost a billion barrels is crude oil stored away..per day production it produces 4.5 million barrels of crude, imports 10 million and refineries about 13.5 million.. it then stores away about a million barrels of crude a day into its strategic reserves of crude.. daily usage for the whole economy is about 12-13 million barrels a day.. about 9 million barrel a day comes via Malacca.. so you close malacca China still has access to maybe 5.5million barrels a day if you close the sea lanes so it would need to take about 6 million barrels a day from its 1 billion barrel reserves of crude.. so yes china is ready.. it can be easy provide full crude supplies to its refineries for around 200 days.. before going to about 50% production.. it could then provide full fuel supplies for another 50 days before it would need to reduce its fuel and oil usage by 50%… but a lot of Chinese oil and fuel use is related to production and markets that would no longer be active in wartime… essentially food wise your cutting luxury imports and beef etc but the rest of the world losses a vast amount of grain and other staples..oil wise your cutting of the supply China needs to make things for western markets that would not exist in war….
Russia is already fighting and their economy/industry is geared up for attritional wars.
China is totally prepared for a long war, even the US would struggle against them
Even Iran, despite the drubbing the IDF just gave them, is more prepared for war than most European countries:
All these countries have several things in common:
A large military-industrial capacity to produce all varieties of weapons en-masse and the economy to support it
Ability to recruit/train in large numbers and keep large reserves.
The political will to do all of the above.
Jim, i agree with some of what you’ve said but Wealthy, Powerful Nations does not always equal Military Capability. You can’t fight armour with banknotes.
Hi Jim, whether different or the same as other nations in regards to readiness, it doesn’t change what the Government has chosen to commit to whilst knowing it will not deliver, yet will not reduce its commitment in line with what it is willing to deliver, it isn’t forced into such commitments so why keep them ?
You say that the U.K. will not have to defend Europe alone, you are correct, it is part of an alliance and the Strategic Reserve Corps is a major part of the UK’s commitment to that alliance and its collective defence. The other members should also be meeting their commitments in the same way the U.K. should be, I’m not sure anyone would expect any less.
Again, if it is not necessary to provide such forces then why have the commitment in the first place, why does NATO request it and why does the U.K. agree to it ?
The biggest problem is that if NATO’s Article 5 is invoked by a Nation that has been attacked. The response by the other partners is not immediate. But must be agreed first by debate, i.e. does the attack warrant enacting Article 5? More worrying is that not also Nations will honour the commitment, even though they have signed up to and previously agreed to the commitment.
If you listen to the Sky News/Tortoise Wargame podcast, where Ben Wallace acts as the PM. You will hear he clearly becomes rattled initially by the US sitting on the fence, but also by communications from the NATO Sec Gen, who states not all countries have decided if this warrants Article 5. Even though the attack on the UK by Russia in the wargame would clearly invoke it. Which meant the UK had to act alone at least in the first couple of days. Pretty much helpless to Russia’s missile attacks on its key bases and infrastructure.
I think you are spot on,John, especially with the Army.
Grandstanding is exactly what it is, with huge doses of smoke and mirrors with little sign of any changes there.
This government for example came in promising more transparency.
Where is it? When senior officers are gagged and will not even discuss force structure with HoCDSC or even publish an equipment plan.
This is just it Daniel, the SDR bought an extra year to get things in order and start progressing key programs, but really nothing has changed and mostly silence beyond things that are far away and likely won’t impact this parliament when there are plenty of short term wins that could make a difference. We all know that if there was progress being made and orders to fill gaps it would be plastered across headlines and called a win, even if it was a programme like Boxer for batch 2 that was already planned years ago (even if reduced).
We’d be ready for the first hour but after the first cruise and ballistic missiles hit our unprotected 3 fastjet and 3 naval bases we’ll be not ready again.
Word to the wise. If the enemy has the ability to do something existential to you and you cant prevent it then he’ll probably do it.
Use that as a lens to determine whether you’re ready or not.
That is rubbish we are not ready to fight a war.. In reality being ready to fight a war is a purposeful act that takes a huge national effort over a significant length of time that will have an impact on the wider economic and social fabric of a nation.
Look at the European nations in the late 1930s. Look at the Soviet Union and west during the Cold War, these were all nations readying for war and there was massive political, social and economic repercussions. Infact it damages the fabric of a nation to be ready for war and it is generally not a sustainable proposition.. at some point the nation has to go to war, stand down or it or its enemy suffers economic collapse.
Are we ready to fight? Yes of course But at what scale? and how much attrition could we absorb?
What force size could Russia field in the Baltics ?
I read Russia is forming a force of 70,000 troops to station at Finland’s border.
As a non-military but interested fan of UKDJ, I get very confused by the contradictory reports on the current state of Russian forces. One minute I read that they have 70,000 (implying crack, ready to attack?) troops poised on the Finland border, the next that they have rubbish ships, aircraft, tanks, etc, and can’t even deal with Ukraine.
Also, that ENATO is very powerful but still rubbish.
What/who should I believe please?
The quality of Russia’s equipment and poor tactics (leading to great losses) is a different discussion.
What Russia does have is the capacity to build, refurbish military equipment, and recruit on a large scale.
The threat is not really from Russia (its got to many problems of its own to deal with and of course their little military exercise has certainly not gone well and is not really supported by the populus there). The Threat to our way of life comes with all those crossing the channel and demanding their rights to free everything. Of course we have China who is expanding it’s influence ever greater around the globe which is now a super power. We need strong leadership which may not be popular with the woke brigade but then real democracy has to be brough back. MAGORITY RULE not those sick individuals who have no idea which end a pencil is sharp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The problem with that announcement is the reliance on an alliance instead of a sovereign independent capability, like the UK had at the end of WWII.
.
.
The us is an unreliable misguided mis-led part-time ally under the current administration and countries, like The UK and others in the western alliance, whether that be NATO or anything else should seriously re-think defence in light of the demise of us influence (unless you want to draw parallels with russia, the usa and china).
.
.
The first thing that needs to be sorted is invest in the UK military industrial complex and de-shackle, i.e. shirt away from buying anything american, so that for instance the F-35B and the wannabe RAF F-35A, Trident can be dispensed with, MLRS, AMRAAM, the list goes on.
.
.
Keeping it short, some will say that’s unaffordable. Then, go learn russian or chinese.
We all know that the answer the top brass publicly gives is purely window dressing and kowtowing to their political masters. Otherwise if they did ‘fess up, they would be quickly booted out of their jobs and not get their pension. Everybody knows what our military state is in (even the Russians!), the recent SDR alludes to it. But until something directly threatens the norm in the UK, then nothing will immediately change.
In the air and at sea, the UK is ready. On land, we would form a reserve force and back up our allies’ main fighting strength in Finland, the Baltic States or Poland.