The newly appointed Chief of the Army Staff, General Roland Walker, says Britain needs to significantly rearm to be ready to fight a war within three years.
The army chief claims that Russia, China and Iran are the main threats and that the world has become “increasingly volatile”.
Walker added that the alleged major war is certainly not inevitable and that the army has “just enough time” to rearm and thus avoid a conflict, reports the BBC.
The key, according to the general, is to create a deterrent effect by doubling the army’s “fighting power” over the next three years – and tripling it by 2030.
As usual, Russia, China and Iran were identified as the main threats, with Walker speculating that whatever the outcome of the war in Ukraine, Russia may want to retaliate against the West for supplying arms and otherwise supporting Kiev.
– It doesn’t matter how it ends. I think Russia will emerge from it probably weaker objectively – or absolutely – but still very, very dangerous and wanting some form of retribution for what we have done to help Ukraine., the army chief said.
Want to shoot faster and further
Walker also warned that China intends to retake Taiwan and that Iran is likely seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. He argued that the threats from these countries could become particularly acute over the next three years.
The solution to avoiding what he described as a full-scale war, according to the army chief, is for the UK to significantly rearm and modernize its military – with a greater focus on high-tech weapons, artificial intelligence and firepower – rather than troop numbers.
Walker wants his army to be able to destroy an enemy three times the size of Britain by “firing faster and further” than before.
Today, Britain’s regular army consists of just over 75,000 personnel. It currently spends 2.3 percent of GDP on its military – above the 2 percent NATO requirement. However, Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to increase this to 2.5%.