Understanding the UK’s Transition to Warfighting Readiness
In the context of today’s accelerating geopolitical instability, this strategic study, Understanding the UK’s Transition to Warfighting Readiness examines how the United Kingdom and indeed other Western democracies need to transform politically, economically, socially and militarily in order to achieve warfighting preparedness. Given Russia’s war against Ukraine, and shifting assumptions about long-standing security arrangements, the authors argue that warfighting readiness is not a military problem alone, but a state and whole-of-society challenge.
Against the backdrop of the Government’s National Security Strategy (NSS), Strategic Defence Review (SDR), and Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), this report by Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Derek Twigg MP and Chris Donnelly sets out the most urgent practical challenges for a country moving from a peacetime footing toward warfighting readiness.
The report draws out principles which it considers essential to this transition:
The rules-based global order is disappearing, and the West faces an existential threat from autocracies. An immediate, radical response is required.
Governance models which evolved during peacetime are now inadequate for the current era of rapid change and threat. Democratic societies must modernise and upgrade their practices.
Western democracies are unprepared for both hybrid and kinetic warfare. Governments and societies must learn to recognise and counter sophisticated adversary techniques.
Adaptability is the most important characteristic for survival and success. All institutions must be capable of rapid change.
Even without the growing threat from Russia and other autocracies, Western democracies already face the need to evolve their current peacetime governance model to one resembling war preparedness because of the challenges posed by rapid global change. Transformation is urgent and must not be delayed.
Read the full report here
