The UK is picking apart Russian armoured vehicles captured in Ukraine to learn their secrets, Britain’s military head has said.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the war in Ukraine had been a “wake-up call” for the military, requiring British forces to be more agile in responding to security risks, reported Sky News.
Speaking at an event in London on Monday, when asked about captured Russian technology, Admiral Radakin said: “It’s really important because we’re in a club of nations that when we get hold of Russian kit or other nations’ kit that might be a danger to us in the future, we share that knowledge.
“But we also have the scientists that unpick the detail that another nation might have to a really forensic level, and that helps us to understand: how does their equipment work? How can we defeat it?
“How can we have even better armour? How can we disrupt their communications? How can we ensure that we can penetrate their defences?
“And that’s what we do."
Ben Wallace, who recently announced his intention to stand down as defence secretary, described Ukraine as a “battle laboratory" for Ukrainian troops as they experiment with new weapons and technology to fight Russian troops.
It comes as the long-awaited defence command paper will be published, which will set out how the UK will invest an additional £2.5 billion in stockpiles and a global response force.
A further £400 million will be spent on modernising personnel accommodation.
The report will also outline how investment in science and technology will be prioritised as part of an effort to modernise the armed forces.
Mr Wallace, who has been Defence Secretary since 2019, has said he will stand down as an MP at the next general election.
He has said his departure is due to the strain the job has put his family life under.
There has been speculation the paper will recommend cuts to the Army’s size, with some reports saying it will shrink from 75,000 personnel to 73,000.
Mr Wallace said the discussion about personnel numbers has been a “distraction from the simple realities".
He said: “We have carried a force for many, many decades, both under the Labour government and the Conservative government, where we focused on numbers and hollowed out behind.
“That’s not what I’ve ever done as Defence Secretary. I’ve increased the funding - a significant rise in real-term funding to defence.”
Labour warned that the defence plan was “not a good enough response to war in Europe".
Shadow defence secretary John Healey said Mr Wallace “must explain if he is pledging new money for stockpiles or these are funds already announced.”
