UK must be ready for war in three years, says Army head

In his first speech in the role on Tuesday, Gen Walker said the UK faced danger from an “axis of upheaval”.

Among the key threats facing the UK in the coming years, highlighted by the general in a briefing, is an angered Russia, which could seek retribution against the West for supporting Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.

He said: “It doesn’t matter how it ends. I think Russia will emerge from it probably weaker objectively – or absolutely – but still very, very dangerous and wanting some form of retribution for what we have done to help Ukraine.”

He also warned that China was intent on retaking Taiwan, and Iran was likely to pursue nuclear weapons.

He said the threats they posed could become particularly acute within the next three years, and that since the war in Ukraine these countries had created a “mutual transactional relationship”, sharing weapons and technology.

But he said the path to war was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land forces to support its strategy of deterrence to avoid war.

He did not directly appeal for further funding or troops in his speech, describing his force of just over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army”.

But he urged the British Army to modernise quickly – including focusing on technology like Artificial Intelligence and firepower, rather than numbers.

Eventually, his ambition is for the Army to be able to destroy an enemy three times its own size.

This would mean firing faster and further, he said, helped by learning the lessons from the war in Ukraine.