Britain has just 40 tanks and a dozen frigates, destroyers war-ready

2023-07-05

Fight Russia? Britain has just 40 tanks and around a dozen frigates and destroyers ready to go war – the lowest figures in modern times

The head of Britain’s armed forces is not ‘happy’ about Britain’s tank shortfall
Britain is now investing in armoured vehicles – ready by the end of the decade

Britain has just 40 tanks and around a dozen frigates and destroyers ready to go to war, it has emerged.

The figures are the lowest in modern times and MPs suggest they show the UK would struggle to fight a war against Russia.

Vladimir Putin’s army is estimated to have lost over 2,000 tanks in the conflict in Ukraine but has as many in reserve.

Yesterday, the head of Britain’s Armed Forces admitted he was not ‘happy’ about the situation and improvements in Army and Royal Navy stocks were required.

But Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), insisted the UK was a major Nato contributor.

At the Commons defence committee yesterday, his claim that Britain could provide a division – around 17,500 fully equipped troops accompanied by vehicles and artillery – to the alliance was dismissed as ‘a fantasy’.

British Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Tony Radakin, departs a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 04 July 2023

British Army forces train Ukrainian tank crews on the Challenger 2 main battle tank

The Army is at its smallest since Napoleonic times because of shortages of tanks and armoured vehicles.

Last night Mark Francois MP told the Mail: ‘It was clear from the CDS’s evidence that Armed Forces would currently struggle to fight a war with Russia…

‘It is a fantasy to suggest we could provide a warfighting division to Nato.’

On paper, the UK has around 200. But of these, only 40 are ready to go to war, it emerged yesterday.

Sir Tony responded that Britain was ‘investing like crazy’ in armoured vehicles which will be available by the end of this decade.

He also told MPs: ‘We were at 19 frigates and destroyers, which we subsequently reduced that to 17 because some of those ships were very expensive.

‘You’ve then got some in maintenance and refit so it is probably 11 or 12 which are available to go out on operations.’

Sir Tony added: ‘It is true across the Armed Forces, we need to have deeper stockpiles. So I wouldn’t say I was happy.’

The UK has given 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.

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