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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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.