Reduction and transformation of the European Armed Forces

Large-scale reforms and downsizing of the armed forces are taking place not only in Russia. In a number of EU countries, military transformations are being carried out, the number of armed forces is being reduced, military programs are being closed, equipment is being written off.

The European Union is experiencing hard times, there are even voices that its collapse is inevitable. Under the threat of bankruptcy Greece, Spain, Portugal, UK, Ireland, Estonia, Latvia. The difficult socio-economic situation in the countries of the former Warsaw bloc - Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary. In fact, the entire union rests on the economies of France and Germany, but it is not easy for them in the context of the global crisis.

But military transformations cannot be attributed only to a crisis; if in Great Britain and Germany major shifts in the military field occur during a crisis, then, for example, in France and Italy, military reform took place much earlier.

United Kingdom

A member of the UN Security Council, the “mistress of the seas” until the middle of the 20 century, one of the strongest powers, in the military-economic sense, makes such large-scale reductions that its military potential will soon be comparable to any “secondary” country.
- On 5 years, the replacement of ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) of the Trident II sea-based, possibly more, has been postponed. These missiles make up the 100% of UK nuclear forces. Therefore, the program for the construction of new nuclear-powered ships has been postponed, new submarines (for nuclear missiles) will appear no earlier than 2028 of the year. The service life of the submarine Vangard extended (4 submarines), one submarine may be written off.
- The country's military budget for 2011-2015. will be cut by about 8%, civilian personnel reduced by 25 thousand people.
- A strong reduction awaits Aviation: 1) replacing the purchase of American F-35B fighters, with cheaper F-35Cs - the deck version; 2) cancellation of 5 new reconnaissance aircraft Sentinel R1, after the completion of the Afghan campaign; 3) the Nimrod MRA4 marine electronic reconnaissance aircraft program has been curtailed; 4) production of Harrier vertical take-off aircraft has been curtailed, the weapons in service have been decommissioned, part has been sold if a buyer is found; 5) reduction in the purchase of CH-47F Chinook helicopters from 22 to 12 pieces; 6) MTC “Super Hercules” will be written off 10 years earlier, in 2022; 7) greatly reduce the fleet of fighters, within 5 years all Tornado fighter-bombers will write off, the number of Typhoon fighters will be reduced by a third, from 160 to 107; 8) The number of Air Force personnel will be reduced by 7 thousand people. In the Air Force of the 12 current fighter squadrons, by 2020 there will be only 6, 107 Eurofighter Typhoon and 40 F-35s.
- Of the 2 aircraft carriers in service, 1 was decommissioned - “Ark Royal” (flagship fleet), China has already become interested in it, a Chinese businessman is ready to buy it at the price of scrap metal and make a “shopping center”. The 2nd Illastriz will serve until 2014, and from this year the UK will be without an aircraft carrier until 2018, when the Prince of Wales under construction is due to enter service. Of the two aircraft carriers under construction, Queen Elizabeth will enter the fleet only for 3 years (2017-2019), and even then, as a helicopter carrier, it is then written off to the reserve, possibly sold to India.
- In addition, the Navy will reduce more than 2000 people, do not build 2 submarines, 3 landing craft, decommissioned 4 frigate "Type 22" and 1 universal landing craft class "Bay". Under the threat of the construction of the Daring air defense destroyers, it is possible to write off the Vanguard 1 submarine.
- The ground forces will be reduced to 100 thousand, almost half of the armored vehicles will be written off - they will be written off as a reserve in 18 months, or almost 2800 units will be sold. After the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the 1 Brigade, 5 Thousands of people will be disbanded, a proposal to dismantle the 2 armored brigades located in Germany is being considered.
- The number of infantry battalions increased from 600 "bayonets" to 750, in order to maintain their fighting efficiency due to losses and vacations, the "lesson" of Afghanistan.
- Total revised, or canceled before 900 military programs.
In the end, as the UK will defend the Falklands, if Argentina (it is the leader of South America in the arms race with Brazil), it will not be clear if they decide to return them. Is France to call for help.

France

- From 1991 to 1997, the year reduced the number of nuclear warheads from 250 to 100, from 1998, refused to nuclear tests.
- From 1996 to 2003. The military reform stage was 2: the call was canceled, the army switched to a professional basis, the air force was reduced by 24%, the ground forces by 17%, and the fleet by 11%.
- Military budget in 2011-2013 reduced by 4%, delayed the delivery of multi-purpose tankers, upgrading fighters "Mirage", reducing personnel by 8 thousand people.
- The Scorpion Ground Forces Modernization Program has been somewhat slowed down.
- In order to save money, a French-English military alliance has been created: a joint nuclear research center will be built, access to each other's military facilities will be opened, joint military operations will be agreed upon, a joint expeditionary force created, joint use of equipment - including aircraft carriers, joint training of military personnel and military research projects (for example, the joint creation droneshigh precision weapons).
- The program for the construction of FREMM frigates, from 17 to 11, has been reduced.

Italy

- From 2005, the call was finally canceled, in the army only contractors and volunteers.
- The number of 2007 was reduced by 80 thousand people, to 190 thousand
- In 2011-2013 the country is waiting for "savings", apparently will be frozen and the program of modernization of the army, which was not announced.

Spain

- In 2001, military service was abolished and transferred to a professional army.
- In 2004, a new military doctrine was adopted, according to which terrorism was declared the main enemy of Spain, from now on Spanish troops could participate in international peacekeeping operations approved by the UN or by the international community.
- The admission of women (20% of the number, due to the low salary, the popularity of the service is small), homosexuals and transsexuals is allowed in the army. The fighting capacity from this, and so low, has plummeted.
- The reduction of the 2011 military budget by 7%, compared with 2010, announced the possibility of selling 4 old submarines of the Agosta class (Thailand), negotiations are underway for the sale tanks "Leopard" of Saudi Arabia from the Armed Forces of Spain.

Germany

- Since the summer of 2011, the military conscription will be canceled, the army will be from contractors and volunteers.
- The number will be reduced from 250 to 180 thousand people.
- The number of naval forces from 17 thousand will be reduced to 11 thousand people, the submarine fleet reduced by 60% - they will write off or sell 6 submarines of the 206 70's project, leave the 4 200A submarines of the 212 project. 8 frigates of the Bremen type (70-80-s of release) from 19 frigates in service will be reduced; they will write off all 10 missile boats "Cheetah", 21 decommissioned search and rescue, transport helicopter "Sea King" Mk.41. The re-equipment program has been shortened: instead of the 4, the latest F-125 frigates 3-i, from the 10 NNS of the 212 project 4-é.
- All anti-aircraft self-propelled guns “Cheetah”, 58 BTR “Kunits”, 12 SAU “2000” were sent for storage. The modernization program for the Leopard main battle tank has been curtailed; their numbers will be cut from 390 to 270, or even 150, to 3 tank battalions. Deliveries of new Puma BMPs will be reduced from 450 to 280 (previously planned to 1000 units).
- The Air Force will write off 15 from 86 C-160 transport planes; 87 from 187 Tornado fighter-bomber; canceled the purchase of 37 fighters "Typhoon" 3-series; instead of 122 transport helicopters NY-90 - buy 80; The party of attack helicopters "Tigr" was reduced from 80 to 40.
As a result, the Bundeswehr will lose the ability to conduct major offensive operations, and only one strategic direction will be able to defend. Will be able to conduct only expeditionary, peacekeeping operations of a limited nature. True, we know that Germany can quickly increase its offensive capabilities, using a high level of economic and technological development.

Other European countries

Austria sent for storage half of the 384 tanks, will be halved and other armored vehicles, part of the equipment will be put up for auction. Also plan to reduce the Air Force, the administrative apparatus of the Ministry of Defense, to reduce the number of major exercises.
Sweden abolished the military conscription in the summer of 2010, the army switched to a professional basis.
Greece in 2010, the military budget was reduced by 25%, the country is on the verge of bankruptcy. But before the crisis, Greece was the leader of the arms race in Europe, Greece has unresolved disputes with Turkey. The multibillion-dollar arms procurement programs were reduced: the BMP-3 and air defense systems from Russia, the 6 frigates from France, the 40 fighter jets Eurofighter. The delivery of 4 NNS from Germany is questionable.

What for?

1) The geopolitical reality has changed, the main opponents of Western European countries were the Warsaw Pact and the USSR. But they fell apart; most of the Warsaw Union states themselves became members of the EU and NATO. Russia, after large-scale reductions in its armed forces and active cooperation with the West — energy, political, and so forth, is not an adversary of present-day Europe. And, rather, an ally, against the backdrop of the weakening of the United States and the strengthening of the Islamic world, China.
2) The borders of European states do not have an enemy, for the fight against which we need numerous land armies with a mass of military equipment.
3) Western elites now need other armed forces - expeditionary-punitive in nature, to control sea routes (Suez, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, etc.), resource deposits, to suppress riots, rebels in Africa, Asia. Therefore, armies will be compact, high-tech and mobile, from mercenaries, ready for credit cards for everything.
4) The beginnings of the union of Russia and Western Europe - the purchase of military equipment by Russia in Israel, France, Germany, Austria, Great Britain; talks about military-technical cooperation and the first “swallows” - the transit of military cargo to Afghanistan, the supply of helicopters and small arms to Afghanistan. Therefore, if the West needs an unpretentious soldier, ready for casualties and a real war, there is Russia and its corrupt "elite". This is in case of a major conflict with the Islamic world, or China.
5) Further erasure of the remnants of national states, in the form of their draft "people's" armies - in the future it is planned to create the European Army.

Comments

[arik_990]

damn sorry all of Europe especially Britain