The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Armed Forces will begin reducing the number of overseas training exercises from next year, as the UK reorients the Army and Royal Navy around NATO commitments and high-end warfighting.
Responding to a parliamentary question on future training plans, defence minister Al Carns said the services would continue to prioritise overseas activity only “in alignment with both our own and partners’ operational needs, as well as the priorities outlined in the Strategic Defence Review.”
Carns set out a clear shift beginning in 2026.
The Army will “reduce the number of overseas training exercises” from financial year 2026–27, a move described as necessary “to enable a greater focus on NATO commitments and enhancing land warfighting capabilities.” The adjustment will be carried out with international partners.
The Royal Navy will also scale back non-European training. Carns said that “over the next four years, the Royal Navy will scale back its participation in overseas training outside the Europe, Atlantic, and Arctic theatre.” The change reflects the Navy’s “evolving global posture” as it concentrates resources on the Euro-Atlantic and Arctic regions, where it expects growing operational demand.
By 2027–28, Carns said the Navy anticipates “an increase in participation and support for NATO,” signalling that the reduction is intended to reallocate effort rather than diminish activity overall.
No reduction was announced for the RAF in the period covered, though the minister noted that all services will continue aligning their training output to SDR priorities.
The answer, taken together with the Strategic Defence Review and recent speeches by senior commanders, shows the department narrowing its training focus to prepare for major-power confrontation in the Euro-Atlantic theatre.
Might save a few £ thats the real reason, increses defence spending but do not spend any more ie no new major orders since last year. Talk a lot, press releases, statements, projects, wish lits, but nothing ever ordered and when we do order kit its late, over cost, in reduced numbers as slow as possible production runs, all state normal.
A complete dogs dinner, this government has been signing defence packs with countries in the indo Pacific. Operation highmast? If that proved one thing we can’t provide escorts or replenishment.
Im sure Danielle will be on top of this but wasn’t the last large scale exercise in Oman a couple of years back? If by this they mean cutting down on training exercises for a month is so to places like Belize,Kenya etc at Batt/Coy/Sqn level then they are taking away incentives for any recruitment! Who wants to sit around in the UK waiting for the next NATO exercise that happens, probably every couple of years if your unit is lucky enough to be involved!
So more DIP hints.
The Navy and Army will become NATO-focussed, while the RAF will take over the global strike role (presumably also using the Carriers). What with Atlantic Bastion and GCAP that all makes a lot of sense.
Let’s just hope we don’t cripple the Navy’s global capability to focus on ASW like we did in the 1970s.
In reality this means even less incentive to join the military, as part of the sales pitch is to see far flung places.
I guess this is the reality of the situation with such a small force but if they keep diminishing the service offering then we will have even worse morale than currently
We joined the Navy to see the World
And what did we see? We saw the Sea! 🙂
And so it begins…..
Maybe we should stop with the willy-waving CSGs that we cant properly defend by ourselves anyway.
3.5% ? Dont make me laugh. This Government has NO intention of going for that.