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Army: Defence Equipment

Asked by Luke AkehurstLabourMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 13 March 2026UIN 117987

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of war stocks held by the British Army to replace damaged or destroyed equipment in a high-intensity conflict.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The Army has undertaken a broad assessment of the capabilities and enablers required for a UK Strategic Reserve Corps (SRC), inclusive of a division, to operate as a credible war‑fighting formation. This assessment is aligned with Defence planning assumptions and NATO standards and is kept under regular review.

The assessment also recognises the importance of the entire system to enable divisional operations at scale and tempo, as well as sufficient stocks of munitions, spares, and fuel. These requirements are considered alongside the need for integration with allies, interoperability, and the ability to operate in contested and degraded environments.

For reasons of operational security, the Department does not release detailed assessments of specific stock levels.

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