SAM STRIKE BOXERS PLUS

While we must spend the money allocated to defence wisely – and there is much evidence to suggest that we waste too much – the overall structure of the Army must align a commitment to the tasks that are vital with a commitment to the tasks that are affordable.

The problem with hard power is that, like our nuclear deterrent, it is expensive to maintain and seldom used in anger. The more that potential enemies perceive us as weak, the more likely they are to test our defences. We forget at our peril that we still need the capacity to physically eject those who would invade our territory. This includes the need for UK forces to operate below the threshold of conflict, in the “grey zone.” While there is a need for soft power, it is no substitute for hard power. The Army’s emerging strategy is based on the Integrated Operating Concept. Proposed Army 2025 plan which is likely to be revised by the integrated Review.īehind the emerging structure is a growing recognition of the threat posed by Russia and, increasingly, China.

SAM STRIKE BOXERS PLUS

The remaining Armoured Infantry Brigade will likely have two MBT regiments, two IFV battalions, plus a reconnaissance regiment. In other words, one Armoured Infantry Brigade will be lost. If the rumours are correct, then the division will be re-configured around two Strike Brigades and one Armoured Infantry Brigade. In the run-up to the IR, there has been suggestion that the desired structure is unaffordable. Prior to the Integrated Review the Army 2025 plan envisaged two Armoured Infantry brigades, two Strike brigades and 16 Air Assault Brigade in a single war fighting division. So we will still need a mix of wheels and tracks.

It should also be remembered that, as good as 8×8 vehicles are off-road, they cannot match tracked vehicles when negotiating the most extreme terrains. In some instances, however, tanks will remain essential to dislodge firmly entrenched enemies via set-piece attacks. Tracked armour, including Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) will definitely still have a place, although some defence analysts believe that heavy armour is likely to have a reduced role in high tempo, rapidly evolving mobile warfare scenarios. This suggests a wheeled future with the Army’s combat vehicle fleet built around Boxer and Multi-Role Vehicle, Protected (MRVP). It will also be a more flexible force, able to perform a variety of tasks and to switch between them easily and quickly. The goal is to create an army that is expeditionary by design, meaning that it can self-deploy and operate over long distances thanks to increased operational mobility and reduced logistical dependancy. This implies that the UK’s Integrated Review strategy will reconfigure the Army around the emerging Strike Brigade concept. In his annual RUSI lecture in December 2020, Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, described the future force as one that would encompass an agile manoeuvre division.

UK Boxer configurationĠ5 Follow-on “highly desirable” Boxer variantsĠ6 Third wave “optional extra” Boxer variants Overall, this exercise recognises that modernisation plans for the British Army must be rooted in a strategy that makes it relevant and credible while being affordable and sustainable. This allows the gap between what we would ideally like to acquire and what we can actually afford to be understood, so that the right trade-offs can be made. This article will immediately be criticised for playing “fantasy fleets.” Is this a bad thing? Defining what an ideal Strike Brigade ought to look like sets a benchmark standard against which actual brigade generation can be measured. This article reviews some of these new options to envision what an ideal Strike Brigade might look like. Over the last 12 months, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall have shown various new Boxer mission module proposals that promise to expand the family of variants on offer and realise the potential of Boxer’s modularity.

Sam strike boxers