A trip to Ukraine by the new UK Defense Secretary, 48 hours after taking office, highlights the importance attached by the new government to helping Ukrainian forces in their war with Russia.
But despite positive-sounding statements about new military assistance, John Healey does not have a magic tap that he can instantly turn on to deliver the volume of weapons and ammunition – in particular artillery ammunition – that Kiev most urgently needs.
Instead, he is taking charge of military affairs at a time when the UK’s defense is in crisis, after months of drift under the Tories and decades of disappearance.
Rishi Sunak, the previous prime minister, only seemed to understand the vital importance of defense a few weeks before calling the general election. He declared in April that he was putting the British defense industry on a “war footing” and promised to spend 2.5% of national income on the armed forces by the end of the decade, up from just over 2% today.
Sir Keir Starmer was keen to emphasize that national defense and security is his government’s first duty.
However, a detailed focus on repairing the depleted military was notably absent from his initial public statements, even though the world is increasingly dangerous given the Russian invasion of Ukrainethe threat of a growing conflict in the Middle East and tensions with China over Taiwan.
The new Prime Minister and his Defense Secretary will talk about their defense plans this week – such as when they will increase UK defense spending to 2.5% of GDP – as they meet world leaders at a major EU summit NATO in Washington.
Labor has long promised to carry out a defense review in its first year in office – with expectations growing for an announcement on the launch of this work.
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But the problems faced by the Royal Navy, the army and the Royal Air Force, as well as the branch of the Ministry of Defense charged with procuring military equipment, are all well known.
However, another protracted review – the last government only updated its defense plan a year ago – simply risks delaying difficult decisions that, in the absence of significant new funding, will have to be taken to cut some capabilities and prioritize others.
A lighter review may make more sense, given that presumably many of the employees who will be asked to produce information will be the same ones who did so last time.
Whatever happens, Healey will want to try to promote genuine reform of defense procurement to provide better value for money when purchasing anything from boots to nuclear-armed submarines.
He also said he will appoint a national armaments director to oversee the increase in defense industrial capacity to produce more weapons and ammunition to replenish UK stocks, as well as to maintain munitions supplies to Ukraine.
Speaking in the southern city of OdesaHealey said: “There may have been a change in government, but the UK is united behind Ukraine…
“This government is steadfast in our commitment to continue providing military assistance and will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Ukrainian friends for as long as necessary.”
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
