The new chief of the British Army, General Sir Roland Walker, has stated that the UK should be ready for conflict within three years. In his inaugural address, he emphasized that while war is not inevitable, there is ample time for the army to prepare and avoid it.
Central to the plan is doubling the army’s combat power by 2027 and tripling it by the end of the decade. General Walker highlighted that the UK faces a new axis of turmoil, with a major threat being an angry Russia seeking revenge against the West for its support of Ukraine.
“Regardless of how it ends, Russia might emerge weaker but still very dangerous, seeking retribution for our aid to Ukraine,” Walker said.
He stressed that preparing for war is not inescapable if the UK rebuilds reliable land forces to support its deterrence strategy. The general called for rapid modernization of the British Army, including a focus on artificial intelligence.
