Deputy Secretary of State for Defence Alistair Carnes has said that in the event of a major war similar to the Russian-Ukrainian war, the British army could be destroyed in six months to a year. This was reported by the BBC.
According to Karnes, in a large-scale war where losses would be on par with Russia’s current losses in the war with Ukraine – around 1,500 soldiers a day (killed or wounded) – the British army, as part of a wider multinational coalition, could cease to exist in such a short time.
He emphasised the importance of having reserves that allow for quick replenishment of losses and maintaining the army’s combat capability in a large-scale conflict. “Without the reserves, we will not be able to increase our mass and perform many defence tasks,” Karnes said.
As of 1 October 2024, the British army had 109,245 personnel, of which 25,814 were volunteer reservists. Carnes emphasised that it is not necessary to have a larger army to wage a successful war, but it is critical to be able to quickly mobilise additional forces in the event of a crisis.
