Patrick Malcor’s Post

Today in Britain’s World, Dr Emma Salisbury analyses the recent defence spending commitments made by the Conservative party in the UK 🇬🇧 ‘The defence of the nation is the primary duty of a government, of whatever political stripe, and properly funding our military should be the policy of all serious political parties.’ You can read the article here: https://lnkd.in/emyZx_aq  #BritainsWorld #DefencePledge #DefenceSpending 

Gaining data on Russian military capabilities has historically been difficult, and the little data provided has not always been congruent with displayed capabilities. In this report, visiting scholar at the Fletcher Russia and Eurasia Program, Pavel Luzin, outlines the increase in Russia’s national defense budget for 2025 and the implications of this increase for Russia’s monetary and fiscal policies. See this link for the full report: https://lnkd.in/dWjYbTay

In light of escalating security challenges, UK PM Rishi Sunak has committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. 💷 This boost in funds is set to bolster Ukraine's aid efforts, amplify our military prowess, and fuel innovative progress in R&D. How do you think this increase will impact the UK's role on the global stage? Share your thoughts! #DefenceUK #MilitarySpending #NationalSecurity

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warns that a six-month temporary budget bill could severely impact the military. In a letter to Congress, Austin emphasized that a continuing resolution (CR) would cap spending at 2024 levels, hindering crucial defense programs and military recruitment efforts. The proposed bill could cut defense spending by over $6 billion, delay essential projects, and disrupt pay raises for military personnel, ultimately compromising U.S. readiness against adversaries like China. Congress must act before September 30 to avoid a government shutdown and ensure the military can maintain its operational effectiveness. #DefenseBudget #MilitaryReadiness #LloydAustin #Congress #GovernmentShutdown #Pentagon #USMilitary #NationalSecurity #BudgetCrisis

An interesting piece that resonates. UK Defence needs to start making practical decisions around what it can and what it can’t afford (rather than trying to keep full spectrum capabilities ‘on ice’) in terms of personnel and equipment. The alternative is being over-matched by the threat to Taiwan and the ongoing war in Ukraine (alongside all the other standing Defence commitments). The Defence share of GDP undoubtedly needs to be higher but the seemingly insoluble equipment budget black hole needs to be addressed once and for all. High tech is good, but in real world military conditions quantity has a quality all of its own…

#ForceDesignFriday While Force Design is more recently associated with the Marine Corps, its an issue that impacts all of the military services. In a 2000 article by Lawrence Korb, "Force Is the Issue," Korb discusses the kind of military the United States wants. Korb discusses budget considerations, size, use, and technology. Korb highlights 3 issues in 2000 that the military is facing, budget constraints, readiness shortfalls, and recruiting and retention challenges. Korb highlights the relationship between people and military force design well. #Military #Defense #ForceDesign #Budget #Personnel #Capability #Strategy https://lnkd.in/exZRtkX9

TFF 🔻 A nearly $1 trillion defense budget faces headwinds at home and abroad The paranoid, militarism-addicted ex-super power is now putting all its (rotten?) eggs in one basket. Hopefully, its allies and friends will help it go down gracefully with a whimper rather than a bang. But that requires some independent thinking in Europe and it seems almost as paranoid and militaristic. To say the least, it does not look so promising. However, the post-US Empire and post-NATO world will surely be a much better place for the US itself too. Just imagine how much better the US itself would be with all this money invested domestically... https://lnkd.in/dEkA_BrK.

TFF 🔻 A nearly $1 trillion defense budget faces headwinds at home and abroad The paranoid, militarism-addicted ex-super power is now putting all its (rotten?) eggs in one basket. Hopefully, its allies and friends will help it go down gracefully with a whimper rather than a bang. But that requires some independent thinking in Europe and it seems almost as paranoid and militaristic. To say the least, it does not look so promising. However, the post-US Empire and post-NATO world will surely be a much better place for the US itself too. Just imagine how much better the US itself would be with all this money invested domestically... https://lnkd.in/d_Jthcbj.

Yesterday's announcement, from Rishi Sunak, to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP in 2030, would see a welcome £75bn boost for the military over the next six years - alongside a separate pledge of £10bn for munitions production, helping to build defence resilience. The move, which will set the UK’s defence industry “on a war footing”, will also see 2.3% spent in 2024 - an increase on the 2.07% spent in 2023. Questions remain, including how this increase in resources will be funded - having not been included in last month’s Spring budget - and whether Labour, widely tipped to form the next Government, will match this latest spending commitment. We’ll be following with interest to see what happens. https://lnkd.in/e7FQHXJi

National Service - a poor decision by a poor leader to win votes The recent proposal by the outgoing Prime Minister (the current polls show that there is better chance to find human life on the moon that Sunak being in power in seven weeks time) about bringing back a version of National Service shows a total failure to understand the size and scope of the challenge, and the implications for the Armed Forces. The current state of the Armed Forces is the worst it has been under the Conservative Government; the UK no longer has a credible standing army, with the numbers sitting at approx. 75000 Regular soldiers, and 30000 Reserves. When you consider that 10-15% of the regular force is undeployable due to injury / ill health, and the Reserves are around 35% under strength, that gives an actual figure of around 55,000 Regular soldiers, and around 18,000 Reserves. This does not take into consider the significant number of troops already deployed, and those on critical UK security roles. As we have also seen with the RAF and Royal Navy, critical shortages in personnel, equipment and a lack of strategic direction from government has resulted in significant deterioration in UK Defence capability. In both 2016 and 2023, the two test launches of the UK nuclear deterrent failed, summing up the state of UK Defence under the Conservative party. What this throwaway election promise shows is that Sunak is desperate and trying to find votes; what we have not seen is that it will take at least five years to implement this promise. The Armed Forces will need to completely redesign its training pipeline, and triple its current training staff and establishment capability and capacity. There will also need to be a total rethink of the military administrative process, as sending 30,000 18 year olds to National Service will cause a significant burden on the pastoral, governance, administration and corrective action frameworks and supporting staff. As anyone who is linked to military training will inform you, a disruptive soldier will generate a multitude of reports and administrative actions; sending 100s of individuals who are from broken homes, disruptive and don't want to be there will be detrimental to the effective capability of an already stretched military. Rather than throwaway statements and a failure to demonstrate any thought process, Sunak would do better to invest properly in Defence and let the Armed Forces take back control of recruitment from the Consultancy groups who currently undertake it. A better wage offering for our Armed Forces may help recruitment; currently our soldiers are one of the poorly paid professions in the UK. yet we always rely on them to dig the nation out of the trouble the politicians normally drop us in. This is just another poorly thought out concept from an inept Prime Minister seeking to grab votes by promising something that is undeliverable. Much like Brexit really. https://lnkd.in/eKiceMe7