Lessons learned on the battlefields of Ukraine have triggered a shake-up of the UK’s approach to its defence, Ben Wallace said as he launched a new strategy.
The updated defence command paper sets out plans to speed up the delivery of new kit, even if it is not a “100% solution”, in order to secure a military advantage.
He said the UK was spending “significantly more” than previously planned on research and development “to stay ahead in the technologies proving themselves vital” in Ukraine, including artificial intelligence, quantum and robotics.
Mr Wallace told MPs that “following in Ukraine’s footsteps” the UK was increasing the sourcing of “those £100 solutions that can stop 100 million threats in their tracks”.
And he said that a closer alliance with defence firms would get technology into the hands of troops quicker.
“Ukraine reminds us that time waits for no-one. It’s no good holding out for a 100% solution that is obsolete by the time it is launched, 80% is often good enough, especially if it mean swiftly putting kit into the hands of our service personnel,” he said.
That equipment could be “rapidly upgraded” in the course of a conflict, he suggested.
There would be five-year delivery periods for hardware and three years for digital programmes to avoid projects dragging on for years.
“As Defence Secretary, to import the lessons learned from this conflict to our own forces is important,” Mr Wallace told the Commons.
“While I wish such lessons were generated in a different way, this conflict has become an incubator for new ways of war.”
Warfare in the 2020s was a “whole-of-nation, internationally-partnered” situation which was “innovative, digitised”.
There was “a recognition that there is a trade-off between assurance levels and operational impact”, he added.
Mr Wallace also highlighted new measures to improve conditions for personnel, with great career flexibility, a rent freeze and new investment in service accommodation.
The command paper refresh updates a 2021 document which set out plans to cut the size of the trained army to 72,500, although this was later revised to 73,000.
The latest figures showed the full-time trade trained strength of the army was 75,710 in January this year.
The proliferation of cheap drones, the use of highly accurate artillery, allows fewer people to cover more area and to dominate more area— Ben Wallace, Defence Secretary
Mr Wallace defended the cuts under questioning in the Commons, insisting there was “no point pretending we can have huge numbers” if they were not properly equipped.
“We think the lessons of Ukraine do show – yes, you need infantry and tanks – but you can also dominate the ground sometimes without even being there,” he said.
“The proliferation of cheap drones, the use of highly accurate artillery, allows fewer people to cover more area and to dominate more area.”
He added that while troops were needed to take ground, they had to be “properly protected and equipped so they can hold it, otherwise – as you see with the Russian forces – they take the ground and they are all killed”.
Measures included in the DCP23 command paper refresh include an additional £2.5 billion investment into stockpiles and munitions.
There was confirmation of a planned global response force to enable the UK to “get there first”, bringing together deployed and high-readiness forces.
