A former head of the Royal Air Force has issued a stark warning that increased UK defence spending is being "eaten up by the Ministry of Defence's overdraft," leaving the country's military capabilities dangerously diminished at a critical time.
Report Details a Hollowed-Out Force
The intervention comes from retired Air Marshal Edward Stringer in a hard-hitting report for the think tank Policy Exchange, entitled The Say Do Gaps in Defence. Stringer argues that despite headline budget increases aiming for 3.5% of GDP, the UK gets far less "bang for its buck" than its competitors, resulting in a shrinking front line.
He cites alarming examples: the British Army now possesses just 14 howitzers in total; the Royal Navy has struggled to deploy more than one attack submarine; and the RAF was forced to use training unit pilots to certify the F-35 Force on the carrier. "Not a single formation in the British military is currently sustainable in combat as a sovereign entity," Stringer wrote.
Warnings Mount Amid Global Tensions
This critique represents the third warning from a former senior military figure in less than a week, highlighting a dangerous mismatch between the UK's international commitments and its actual resources. The report was published just days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer committed to sending UK troops to Ukraine as part of a protective coalition.
Stringer's warning is echoed by others. Former defence secretary Gavin Williamson stated the UK would need a force equivalent to the post-war 40,000-strong Army of the Rhine to be an effective deterrent. Separately, Sir Richard Shirreff, a former NATO deputy commander, suggested allied forces would need at least 50,000 troops in Ukraine to deter Russia, while the entire British Army now numbers under 75,000 personnel.
Procurement Failures and Strategic Reliance
The report also takes aim at chronic procurement failures, singling out the beleaguered £6 billion Ajax armoured vehicle programme as a symbol of waste. Stringer argues the government's procurement agencies operate with a "business as usual" attitude, failing to grasp the urgency of current threats.
Furthermore, he warns that the UK has become overly reliant on American military power, a dependency now threatened by a potential shift in US foreign policy. "Our national defences have been revealed to be a flimsy facade," Stringer stated. "The tide has gone out and we can now see that the UK military was not wearing any trunks."
Government Response and the Path Ahead
In response, an MoD spokesperson defended the government's record, stating it is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with a £5 billion boost this year and a target of 2.6% of GDP by 2027. They highlighted over £270 billion of investment across the parliament and the signing of over 1,000 major contracts since the election.
However, Stringer concludes that target dates in the 2030s are "far too late" and that the methods which led to this decline must be "discarded ruthlessly." The report underscores a profound and urgent gap between political rhetoric on defence and the stark reality of the UK's military capacity.
