Military Cuts to UK Armed Forces

Ex-US defence secretary Robert Gates has criticised UK government plans to cut the British armed forces, suggesting that they will limit the country’s ability to be a major player on the world stage. He even suggested that the plans could potentially mean that the UK will no longer be a full military partner of the United States.

By 2020, the Army could potentially lose 20,000 personnel, the Royal Navy 6,000 and the Royal Air Force 5,000.

Gates went on to say that Britain could be left with a ‘hollowed-out’ force, particularly as Army recruitment figures are currently undergoing challenging times The UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said there is currently no crisis.

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