British Army looks again at future plans

The British Army is reviewing its future force plans in order to find billions of pounds of savings as mandated by the 2015 SDSR. (IHS/Patrick Allen)

By: Wording OD

The British Army has launched a root and branch review of all its future plans, including force structure, equipment procurement, manpower requirements, and basing footprint. The review, dubbed 'Project Marble Arch', was ordered by the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, earlier this year after each of the UK armed services and the Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) civilian administration were ordered to come up with proposals on how they would contribute to GBP11 billion (USD14.7 billion) in savings mandated by the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The SDSR said that any money saved from efficiencies in the MoD's existing spending plans would be re-invested on the new equipment announced in the review. 

One army source suggested that the savings required by the army over next five years "are in excess of GBP1.5 billion". Planners at the Army Headquarters in Andover are working on Marble Arch and are expected to report to Gen Carter in the coming months. A senior army source told IHS Jane's on 28 June that the Marble Arch work is far ranging and is looking at every area of the army's current programme. "The main focus is on how the army delivers the Scout regiments, equipped with the General Dynamics Scout (Ajax) vehicles, and setting up the Strike Brigades," said the source. 

"The financial pressures are immense and nothing is sacrosanct, yet we have been mandated by the defence review to generate specific effects, including standing up the Strike Brigades." One army officer close to Gen Carter described Marble Arch as an exercise to "refine Army 2020". He said this would including looking at which brigades would be converted into Strike Brigades and review the purchase of new vehicles that could operate alongside the Ajax vehicles. How to set up five 'specialised' infantry battalions, which will be optimised for providing training to foreign armies, is also part of the Marble Arch study.

SOURCE: IHS Janes