UK armed forces24 Feb 2022 17:46
What is the size of the UK Army and Armed Forces?
As of 1 October 2021, the “trained strength” of the British Army is 77,526 personnel, 29,688 in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and 29,913 in the Royal Air Force.
That gives a total of 137,127 in the UK Armed Forces.
This total will however be cut by around 2,000 to achieve a smaller Army as envisaged in ‘Defence in a Competitive Age’ command paper.
The target is to cut the Army, which has already been slashed back, by nearly 5,000 to 73,000. The Navy and RAF would increase in size slightly, to 30,450 and 31,750 respectively.
Infantry, the “close combat” troops at the “core of the Army” - some of whom are stationed in Estonia to protect NATO allies, are falling by a fifth.
Tory ministers admit their numbers will drop from 24,940 in 2010 to 19,400 in 2024/25.
Think they may need to reconsider cuts now…