"“You need three times as many men as the enemy when attacking,” he said. “A battalion that is missing 10% of its strength can probably compensate for the shortfall. Having lost 30%, you are not going to be able to generate the combat power to stand up to two enemy battalions, even in the defence.” "

UK frontline troop numbers down by as much as a third

Initial Thoughts on the Government’s Assessment of the Security Partnership with the EU

Malcolm Chalmers

The Future Security Partnership with the EU keeps options open for future security cooperation – but the UK will have to decide how much sovereignty it is prepared to give up to maintain current levels of security.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence Delivers a Bland Update on its Modernising Defence Programme

Trevor Taylor

Haziness on future MoD funding is likely the reason for an update on the Modernising Defence Programme that is rich in platitudes but lacks substance.

Defence and Electoral Credibility: Challenges for the Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet

Josh Arnold-Forster

The potential political acceptance of tax rises to fund the NHS is beginning to influence the debate on defence spending. Will this provide the impetus to defeat those political leaders who want to abet the decline in British military power?

The Ministry of Defence’s Post-Brexit Spending Power: Assumptions, Numbers, Calculations and Implications

Since Britain’s EU referendum result, the pound has fallen against the US dollar by around 15 per cent. If this decline is sustained, the cost of Britain’s defence imports could increase by around £700 million per annum from 2018–19 – around 2 per cent of the total defence budget.

Combat Inclusion: The End of Gender Segregation in the British Armed Forces

Joanne Mackowski

The recent announcement to allow women to enter combat roles marks a major milestone. It is time to conclude the debate on their participation in the armed forces.