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The head of the armed forces has warned that the world is at the precipice of a “third nuclear age,” with Britain facing down multiple foes, including Russia. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin pointed to several threats facing the West, including “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China’s nuclear build-up, Iran’s failure to cooperate with the nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behavior.” Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defense think tank, Sir Tony called for more defense funding and reform.
Despite the dangers posed, Sir Tony noted that there was only a “remote chance” that Russia would launch a direct attack or invasion of the UK in the event of war. Sir Tony further pointed out that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was well aware of the UK’s nuclear arsenal and that successive governments had invested significant sums of money in renewing submarines and warheads.
To that end, Sir Tony called for the UK to remain “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the challenges facing the country, stressing the importance of keeping the UK’s nuclear deterrent strong. He noted that the first nuclear age was defined by the Cold War, with the second marked by disarmament and counter-proliferation efforts. Sir Tony stated that the third nuclear age was “more complex” and “altogether more dangerous,” adding that the world was more contested than ever.
The UK government has committed to raising defense spending to 2.5% of GDP, and the Armed Forces chief’s warning comes as Defense Minister Alistair Carns cautioned that a major war would decimate the army within six to 12 months. Speaking at the same think tank event, Carns added that Britain needed to maintain reserves to fight in a “war of scale.” With official figures indicating the army had 109,245 personnel, including 25,814 volunteer reservists, the chronic shortages in military personnel are a recurring concern. Sir Tony appealed for popular support to strengthen the UK’s defense capabilities, emphasizing the need for the public to understand the tragedy of war to resolve the issue without having to confront its horror.
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