White 2

Modern Defense for a Modern Britain Introduction The Government of the United Kingdom is having to cope with a changing time, the Cold War such as it was styled, is now over and with that comes a time for

reflection. A time for the people of this country to step back from the matter of the military and ask themselves the most simple of questions: How do we defend a Modern Britain?

The answer of the face of it may seem relatively simple, if you buy more planes, ships, hire more troops etc. then you will naturally be stronger...won't you? We

have recently seen in the Gulf, that having a large armed force does not mean that you will have a good army. The Iraqi forces were larger, but ill-trained, ill-

disciplined and ill-equipped to fight off the Coalition forces in that area. This therefore shows where the defense for a Modern Britain lies, in building an armed force of quality, a truly modern armed force for a modern nation. The United

Kingdom has already led the way with the technology behind many of the many

areas of what might call a 'modern armed force'. Our aircraft, such as the Tornado Jet, are some of the best in the world, our tanks are similarly some of the best in the world, and our ships are also some of the best in the world. We know

therefore that we have the capability to create a quality army, but the problem lies in that too often politicians try to politicise what are issues of national

importance. It might look good to cut spending from the military in order to fund projects, but what we must ask ourselves is another fundamental question: Can you put a price of the security of your nation?

The Tornado Jet Fighter – An International Renowned Aircraft

I do not believe for one moment that anyone could honestly justify the increase of military expenditure or even perhaps keeping spending the same. Clearly there is

a need for a reduction in spending. The likelihood of a large continental sweeping across Western Europe are very much remote now, and this means that the need

for a larger conventional force is much less then ever before. We have by chance,

been given a great opportunity to pick the Armed Force that we want, rather then being forced to have an armed force due to other circumstances across the world.

We must not rush this analysis however, the defense of the nation though perhaps simply a matter of positioning a few troops here and there to some, is a complex

matter deserving the fullest attention of any good Government and this document hopes to outline the way forwards for the military as we approach the end of the 20th Century and move into the 21st Century.

British Troops training in Salisbury Plains

Modernising to Victory In the last Budget, the Government allocated £800m to modernise the British Armed Forces, and at present we have just over 14,000 researchers in the Ministry of Defence trying to develop the technology of the Armed Forces of this country. Our commitments to maintain our troops, procure them more equipment and maintain our interests globally mean that relatively little can be spent on

developing a better Armed Force. Departmental Spending last year (without

counting the money put aside to fight in Kuwait) totaled some £25 Billion, yet the modernisation of the British Armed Forces accounted for little more then 3.2% of the spending. Despite the fact that British Companies are constantly developing

better technology such as the Challenger II Tank or new variants of the Tornado

Jet Fighter or new nuclear submarines, we are left in a situation by which we have the technology to modernise our armed forces, but we do not have the investment that we need to make sure that we have the best equipment for them. The

modernisation of the Armed Forces of this country can effectively pay for itself. By

purchasing smarter bombs, better aircraft, better tanks and vehicles you need less

manpower to be able to keep the same fighting effectiveness that you may have needed in the past. Therefore it is in our interests to start the modernisation

process in order to save funding for the future. The modernisation process for

each of the Armed Forces is slightly different. For the Army, the key must be for more mechanical infantry units, so that rapid strike operations can occur with speed being the optimum. In a modern world were satellite, radar and other

inventions have made reaction times quicker, we must seek to make our forces

even quicker to make up for this. By investing in better tanks, we shall deliver the armoured punch that was the key for our forces in the deserts of Kuwait, and shall

no doubt be called upon in other conflicts across the world should they occur. The need for modernisation is also apparent in the Royal Air Force. The Aircraft of the

Royal Air Force are soon to be outdated with the creation of faster, more effective jets that can deliver the same performance but with a fraction of the number that may other be required. Point point elimination of enemy targets with minimal

civilian causalities is the order of the day, and as such the Air Force must adapt to this new demanding role that has been asked of it. Lastly, the Royal Navy must

also modernise in order to stay a strong force in the modern world. Our last two actions have been many thousands of miles from home, and this has made the

role of the Navy pivotal in order to supply the forces on the ground and in the air. The Navy must therefore also improve in order to meet these changes in global warfare. The need for rapid response and ability to provide support to ground

troops through aerial attacks is becoming greater, and these are things that only our Navy can provide. The message therefore is quite clear, the Armed Forces of this country must continue to modernise so as to provide the most effective use of public money and to reduce possibly causalities.

HMS Ocean on duty

Finding a new role With the significant reduction of a possible invasion of Western Europe by a large power, it would be very easy for the United Kingdom to merely slip into the

malaise of military isolation. However it would be a fatal error for a Government to do this. The British standing in the world at this moment in time diplomatically

and to some extent economically, is due to Britain's image as a major world

power. Though there are many ways that Britain may be considered a global power it is due to her ability to carry through her diplomacy that she is able to

create such an image and thus attract investment to her. The British Armed Forces are also some of the most respected and revered in the world. The Royal Navy is the most respected fleet in the world, and copied by many nations large and small. The Royal Air Force is the best trained in the world, and the Army is

considered the most professional force. Therefore we must not squander these resources by isolating ourselves.

The United Nations Headquarters – Heart of the International Community

The British Armed Forces must now look to become a part of the much wider

global coalition of international opinion. The Gulf Conflict is a classic example of what future conflicts will most probably be like. The United Kingdom must

continue to take an active role in both the United Nations (of which we had the luxury of being a permanent Security Council Member) and the North Atlantic

Treaty Alliance (NATO). Only through maintaining an active global presence shall we continue to be able to attract the respect that a nation such as the United

Kingdom deserves. Our influence in these organisations however relies on our economy and our military capabilities. If the United Kingdom wishes to continue as a global power then we must make sure that our military is well funded and

equip to handle situations that require military force (such as the recent Kuwait

Conflict). Reductions in force as a possibility to complie with the economic climate that we are currently faced with, but what is reduced in numbers must be made up for in quality of training and armament. Therefore, it would be strong

recommended that the United Kingdom keep an international outlook in foreign

affairs in a military sense as well as a diplomatic sense. The United Kingdom must look to the future of global diplomacy and that is based upon organisations such as the United Nations, but more importantly on our

ability to take part in international coalitions. Our ability to be active in the United Nations and in organisations such as NATO relies on the military forces that we

can provide to take part not just in major events that may or may not occur, but

also on training exercises and bonding with our fellows across the world. That is why it is important that the Government invests in the defense of this nation and keeps investing into it for the future and beyond.

An International Strike Force As has been mentioned several times in this document, the United Kingdom needs to adjust its Armed Forces to meet the changing world. The need for a larger

conventional force has long since past, and as such we need to make sure that

our forces are equipped to be moved suddenly so as to be able to counter events as quickly as they may arrive. The past two major conflicts of the United Kingdom

have been in the Falkland Islands and the Gulf. The Falkland Islands operation was nearly 8,000 miles away and the Gulf conflict was similarly a large distance from

the main land. As such we need a force that is adaptable to the changing climates that they will face and also able to operate further away from the United Kingdom. A large force simply cannot do this, and thus a smaller force but with better

equipment would be a much sounder and more workable option for the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has had a history of small peace time Armed Forces, and once again this seems a prudent time to revert back to such a

method. With a smaller force, the focus on training and equipment would be larger and the reduction in numbers would be more then made up by the quality of the troops that are available to them.

The United Kingdom has to face the reality that in a modern climate a large conventional force would be of no use to the nation, as the possibility of use

would be extremely limited and the chances of event precipitating to such an even would be almost impossible. Therefore the Government must take the practical

route and reduce the size of the forces in favour of a smaller better equipped and better trained force which would be more effective in the current climate. A

movement away from such a force would take some time, and there would be no call for a sudden reduction as that would be dangerous both diplomatically and

politically. However a movement away from such a force would be an impetus for

the modernisation of the British Armed Forces and provide the catalyst for greater technological improvement to make up for the reduction in troop strength.

The Conflict in the Gulf has highlighted

the need for more rapid deployable forces

The Royal Air Force and Royal Navy must continue to play a key part in this vision. The Royal Air Force is a key part of the United Kingdom's 'long arm' and must be well equipped. However the need for concentrated aircraft has been much

reduced, and it would be folly for the continuation of such large numbers of

fighters and bombers. The Government needs to invest more in 'smart' bombs and other devices which hit their targets and cause little damage to the

surrounding areas. The Royal Air Force must become the spearhead for the global international task force that the British Armed Forces must become. Likewise the Royal Navy (as has been addressed earlier) must become the key supply base of this. The Royal Navy has a long history of being able to sustain large forces in areas that otherwise would be unreachable, however we cannot continue to

demand so much from this force, and therefore we must seek to give them a

manageable force which they can support without having to sacrifice military capability. This would require further improvement and even expansion of the carrier task force of the United Kingdom, and the introduction of more rapid

deployment vessels, such as Destroyers and Frigates. The Army must also be able to transport itself quickly, either through use of aircraft or ships, but on the

ground the need for vehicle to be able to speedily move them into War zones is a necessity. Through investments in better armoured vehicle and transportation devices, we shall be able to improve the effectiveness of the British Army.

The Nuclear Deterrent Much has been said over the past decade of the value of having a nuclear

deterrent. Some have said that nuclear weapons have made the United Kingdom more likely to be attacked, while others have said that having nuclear weapons have made the nation safer. The truth lies somewhere in between these two

values. While having a strong nuclear deterrent is important to make sure that we can defend ourselves effectively without the need for a larger conventional force, we also need to make sure that there are less nuclear weapons around the world so as to make a nuclear conflict more likely. That is why the Government must seek to take action on the matter of nuclear disarmament.

Trident being launched from a submarine

It is quite clear that with the fall of the Soviet Union and the break up of the Iron Curtain, that many nuclear weapons in that area may fall into the wrong hands. It cannot be stressed enough that these weapons be found and the countries that have them, stopped from being able to use these devices. To allow so many smaller countries a nuclear strike capability would dramatically increase the

chance of a nuclear war, and given the distance of the United Kingdom from

Eastern Europe it would be very easy for the country to be caught up in this. We must therefore seek to make sure that nuclear proliferation is minimised to a select few trusted global powers.

The United Kingdom however, may take this chance to reduce its stockpile of Nuclear Weapons. Without the major threat of a power on the continent, the

United Kingdom no longer needs to have such a large amount of nuclear weapons in order to have the same effect. The Government should focus on reducing the number of weapons but develop ways to make them more effect either by

increasing their range or their ability to penetrate missile defence systems

globally. However, though reduction is desirable, the complete elimination of our nuclear system is not. The Government should try also to find new ways to deliver our nuclear deterrent, at present we still have only a few very aged atomic bombs

which provide an aerial attack. The Government should seek to find a way to make a new aerial launch possible, in the event that our submarine fleet is in disposed or unable to reach the target.

Training The United Kingdom's Armed Forces are some of the best trained in the world. They have been prepared to face the most difficult of climates and situations,

however now that the threat of a major war is passing, it would be very easy for the Government to decide not to train the troops as hard, or invest as much money in their training as it had before. This would be a move of the most extreme folly.

If there is to be a reduction in troop size, which as indicated by this White Paper is more then likely to occur, then there must be a way to make our reduced troop

numbers more effective. While one way to do that is through modernisation (see section on modernisation for further details) we must also seek to improve their training in order to make sure that they make the maximum use of their

equipment and their must important resources, themselves. The British Armed

Forces have always been known for their ingenuity and this respect must continue if we are to continue to be considered one of the best Armed Forces in the world. The Forces of this country must be prepared to fight in every situation, in every

climate and with a whole variety of weapons in order to make the maximum use of the numbers that we have at our disposal.

Constant Training is a necessity to a modern armed force

Training must also take place on a global scale, by which we must continue our long association in NATO and the United Nations. By continuing to develop both

external training (working with other nations) and internal training (working with

ourselves and between branches) we shall be able to have the best possible start for future attacks on this country or if we should so be called, to liberate other countries.

Conclusion Therefore we shall conclude with a brief summary of the point discussed within this document. To be brief there are five areas for the Government to continue to focus on: ●

Modernising our Armed Forces

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Continuing to keep an active global presence militarily

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Producing a more effective strike force

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Improving our nuclear deterrent

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Training our troops better

If the United Kingdom continues to focus well in these areas and does not fall into the trap of neglecting the Armed Forces of this country then we shall be prepared for the future in every sense. We shall have a strong backbone to our diplomacy, the respect of our fellow nations in the international community, providing the image of a resourceful nation and have given a clear message that the United Kingdom shall not be slipping into the night. The Armed Forces of this country are a work in progress. They need constant

innovation, constant change and improvement depending on the climate that they face themselves in. However if we provide the resources to the Armed Forces for them to be able to adapt to the changes that they are faced with in the future, then we shall have a strong Armed Force which we can be proud of. This

document we hope, has laid out the framework for future development in the coming years in order to prepare ourselves for the next century,