LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2021) The United Kingdom is determined to step up its military presence in the world, according to a plan, published by the defense ministry on Thursday.
"More of the Army will be deployed across the globe, more of the time. Greater forward deployment will improve our ability to anticipate crises and be ready to compete beneath the threshold of open conflict. It will prevent conflict by reassuring allies and partners and deterring adversaries," the Future Soldier modernization plan read.
The defense ministry also announced an additional investment in the military equipment, worth 8.6 billion Pounds ($11.46 billion), during the next decade. This will raise the total investment to 41.3 billion pounds for the same period.
The total of over 100,000 soldiers will serve in the British Army by 2025, according to estimates of the ministry, as the UK regular army is expected to include 73,000 soldiers, and the number of reservists will stand at 30,000.
One of the most substantial innovations is a new Ranger Regiment, which will start operating from December 1, 2021. As a part of the Army Special Operations Brigade, the regiment "will be routinely deployed alongside partner forces around the world to counter extremist organisations and hostile state threats."
"Our Army will operate across the globe, equipped with the capabilities to face down a myriad of threats from cyber warfare through to battlefield conflict," UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said, as quoted by the ministry.
On Wednesday, the UK maritime forces jointly with the US, Italian, Greek, and Spanish armies held the French-led military Polaris 21 exercise in the Mediterranean.
