Britain will be unable in future to mount operations on the scale of the current intervention in Afghanistan or the invasion of Iraq, the government has disclosed as it set out plans to cut spending on the armed forces.
David Cameron confirmed that warships, fast jet fighters and thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen would face the axe as he unveiled details of the Strategic Defence and Security Review in the House of Commons.
Under the revised planning assumptions in the SDSR, the forces will be able to mount one enduring brigade-level operation, with up to 6,500 personnel, compared to the 10,000 currently deployed in Afghanistan, plus two smaller interventions.
Alternatively they will be able to mount a one-off, timed-limited major intervention – “with sufficient warning” – of up to three brigades with around 30,000 personnel – two thirds of the force deployed to Iraq in 2003.
Mr Cameron also announced a scaling back of the Trident nuclear deterrent, cutting the stockpile of warheads from 160 to 120 and the maximum number of warheads on each submarine from 48 to 40.
He confirmed the key “main gate” decision on the renewal of the missile-carrying submarine fleet would be put back until after the general election in 2016 – leaving open the possibility that it could be abandoned by a future government.
Mr Cameron told the Commons that, while the UK needed to retain the ability to mount operations overseas, strategy had become “over-reliant on military intervention” and that in future the emphasis would be on preventing conflicts.
“Britain has punched above its weight in the world and we should have no less ambition for our country in the decades to come,” he said.
“But we need to be more thoughtful, more strategic and more coordinated in the way we advance our interests and protect our national security.”
However, the SDSR was dismissed by Labour leader Ed Miliband as a cost-cutting exercise which failed to address the security needs of the country.
In the key decisions facing the three services, the Army will:-
• Cut the number of troops by around 7,000, taking it to 95,000 by 2015;
• Reduce its holdings of Challenger 2 battle tanks by 40 per cent and heavy artillery by 35 per cent;
• Cut the number of deployable brigades by one, as it re-structures to five multi-role brigades.
The Royal Navy will:-
• Get its two planned new aircraft carriers while scrapping the existing HMS Ark Royal with immediate effect;
• Decommission either the helicopter landing ship HMS Ocean or HMS Illustrious while retaining one as a helicopter platform:
• Cut its surface fleet of frigates and destroyers from 23 to 19;
• Reduce the number of naval personnel by 5,000 to 30,000.
The RAF will:-
• Remove the Harrier fast jet fighters from service, while scaling back the number of Tornados;
• Scrap the planned Nimrod MRA4 maritime reconnaissance aircraft, despite spending £3 billion on its development;
• Withdraw the C-130 Hercules transport fleet ten years earlier than planned, as the new A400M enters service.
The cuts to aircraft mean that the RAF will no longer require three of its bases, including Kinloss in Scotland.
However, some of the bases could still be retained to accommodate the 20,000 troops currently stationed in Germany, who will be brought back to the UK by 2020.
A study of the bases of all three services is expected to report in the early part of next year.
Overall the Ministry of Defence will cut the number of civil servants by 25,000.
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond expressed “extreme disappointment” on the closure of Kinloss as an RAF base.
He said: “Throughout the review process, the Scottish government have made the compelling case for Scottish defence jobs and skills – including the carriers contracts, the RAF bases, and Army footprint across Scotland.
“RAF Kinloss and Lossiemouth make an enormous contribution to the local economy, and closure would be the equivalent to 700,000 job losses in (the) Greater London area, which would be utterly unacceptable. It could not possibly be justified, at the same time as the Prime Minister reiterates support for an unnecessary and unwanted Trident replacement.
Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy said: “Where the government plans to tackle terrorism and defend our national security we will support them.
“But it is an eccentric decision to have aircraft carriers with no aircraft flying off them for another decade.
“You don’t have to be a military strategist to see that doesn’t make sense.
“People at home are scratching their heads – and so are defence experts.”