Britain's most senior military commander has issued a stark warning that British families must be prepared for their children to fight in a potential war against Russia. Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, stated that 'more people' need to be ready to take up arms to defend the nation, despite the current risk of a direct attack on UK soil being assessed as low.
A Call for a 'Wartime Mindset'
Sir Richard's urgent message comes just days after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte predicted that Europe is Vladimir Putin's next target and urged alliance members like Britain to adopt a 'wartime mindset'. Echoing this sentiment, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns declared the country is now on a 'war footing', cautioning that the 'shadow of war was at Europe's door' and that any future conflict could be larger and more brutal than recent wars.
Speaking at a Royal United Services Institute event in Westminster, Sir Richard outlined the growing threat. He highlighted that the UK faces daily cyber-attacks from Russia and that Russian agents have conducted sabotage and killings on British soil. He emphasised that Russia's military power is 'growing quickly', becoming more technically sophisticated and combat-experienced due to its actions in Ukraine and increased defence spending.
Building a 'Whole of Society' Defence
The Defence Chief called for a comprehensive, 'whole of society' effort to bolster national resilience. This strategy involves several key pillars:
First, it requires a significant expansion of military readiness beyond the regular armed forces. Sir Richard advocated for growing the numbers in the reserves and cadet forces to ensure a larger pool of citizens is prepared to serve.
Secondly, he stressed the critical need to accelerate the 'painfully slow' private investment in the UK's defence industry. To achieve this, he urged schools and parents to actively encourage young people to pursue careers in defence manufacturing and technology. "We need defence and political leaders to explain the importance of the industry to the nation," he stated.
The Rising Price of Peace
Sir Richard concluded with a sobering reflection on sacrifice and the cost of security. "Sons and daughters. Colleagues. Veterans will all have a role to play. To build. To serve. And if necessary, to fight," he said. He warned that more families will come to 'know what sacrifice for our nation means'.
This call to action aligns with the Government's recent commitment to increase defence and security spending to 2.5% of GDP, with an ambition to reach 5% by 2035. Sir Richard framed the challenge clearly: "Our objective must be to avoid war, but the price of maintaining peace is rising." He argued that unless the grave risks are properly communicated, neither government nor society will be willing to pay that escalating price.
