According to the UK Independence Party website UKIP will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:
UKIP believes that UK defence commitments need an Army of at least 125,000, backed by larger numbers of personnel in the Territorial Army, and UKIP is totally committed to the reinstatement of many traditional regiments, and reverse amalgamations since 2001 in particular.
Battalions within new EU-regional ‘super-regiments’, such as the Black Watch (3rd Battalions) and The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (5th Battalion) within the EU‘s Royal Regiment of Scotland, will be restored to full regimental status, as will the Royal Welsh Fusiliers from the EU’s Royal Welsh (1st Battalion) and the English EU-regional regiments such as the Royal Anglian Regiment or the Staffords amalgamated into the
Royal Mercian Regiment. Famous disbanded regiments such as the Gordon Highlanders and the Rifles will be restored.
At present many units are forced to draw personnel from different regiments and corps to perform operational duties for which they were not recruited. Infantry tasks are being done by Royal Armoured Corps and Royal Artillery specialists, for example. The first priority is therefore to bring all units up to full establishment.
UKIP would seek to recruit more extensively in the Commonwealth, in parallel with UKIP’s proposals to restore economic and cultural links to the Commonwealth. UKIP would consider recruiting more Gurkhas – famed for their loyalty and courage. However it is abundantly clear that in present conditions no recruiting drive could succeed without substantial reform of pay and conditions.
Regarding the Territorial Army, UKIP believes the TA has an important social as well as military reserve role, and will seek to double the numbers serving in the Territorial Army.
UKIP recognises that excessive mobilisation (there are currently 1,300 Army reservists mobilised -approaching one in 10 of the TA -ref UKDS) has been a significant deterrence, and should be resisted for future operations. The increase in regular forces should be aimed to reduce this pressure on reserves. UKIP would ensure a good supply of TA specialists, and not just infantry. Incentives such as free medical and dental care will assist recruitment and the passing of medical tests.
Equipment. The job in hand is counter insurgency and low intensity close range warfare – yet far too much money and time is still spent in trying to repel the Russian hordes on the plains of Germany. The EU’s Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) combat vehicles, at £16 billion are a case in point. We need to pay much more attention to the supply and delivery of equipment for counter insurgency and low intensity close range warfare. Deficiencies in armoured vehicles, personal equipment, personal armour, and personal weapons have all been extensively criticised by those serving.
A parallel deficiency is the acute shortage of helicopters – Apache assault helicopters, and helicopters for troop transports, supply, medical evacuation, communications, command and control.
At the same time we cannot forget the possibility of higher intensity warfare. We must cut ourselves free from designing future equipment to operate with an EU Battlegroup or EU Rapid Reaction Force, employing EU electronics and Galileo GPS system. It is vital that we equip ourselves to be inter-operable with US forces.
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBCD) is of renewed importance in the face of international terrorism, and must be given more priority.
UKIP recognises the superb contribution the British Army makes in fighting and peacekeeping operations around the world, but recognises that overstretch is destroying the armed forces, with continuing serious losses of trained personnel. The Army must be increased to meet both current requirements and future needs.
Summary: UKIP’s suggested Army measures include:
An Army of at least 125,000 and an appropriate number in the Territorial Army .
Improved pay, greater incentives for staying on, and better accommodation .
Recruit more in the Commonwealth .
Better and quicker supply of armoured vehicles and personal equipment .
More – and more versatile – helicopters .
Spend less time and money aligning our equipment and organisation to EU force requirements.
I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Independence Party’s The Army policies in the comments below?