Reconciled to reality, UK defence peers into the budgetary abyss
The UK MoD looks set to continue its difficult balancing act of capability versus budgetary reality at least until the conclusions drawn up in the delayed Integrated Review, which will result in further programme or operational decisions through 2020 that could affect defence readiness.
Military activities that could suffer as a result include reducing training and scope of military exercises, keeping naval support vessels in extended readiness and cutting investment in the defence estate.
The UK National Audit Office’s (NAO) February 2020 analysis of the MoD’s 2019 ten-year Equipment Plan, itself also published in February this year, stated that
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