Relying on reservists will hobble the UK Military
The premise of the cuts to UK defence spending is that the reduction in troop numbers from 102,000 to 82,000 will be mitigated by better integration of reserve soldiers and increased use of contractors. Secretary of Defence Philip Hammond recently claimed that "the reserve will be a vital, integrated component of the army". Yet, the experience of Britain’s closest allies has shown that this vision is deeply problematic and has the potential to create a much more dysfunctional armed forces for the UK.
Along with other Nato member states, Her Majesty’s Armed Forces use contractors to compensate for declining in-house expertise, resources and manpower. Indeed, according to the European Defence Agency, the UK spends more on external contractors than any other EU member. The US military’s experience with these very same contractors is cause for concern.
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