The UK government is to allocate more than 500 million pounds sterling (around 579.7 million euros) towards the further re-equipment of its army’s special forces units, known as commandos.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis has redirected the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) towards “more pressing priorities”, which include supplying the armed forces with the latest equipment.
“Over 500 million pounds will be allocated to continue the transformation of the British commandos, in particular through the introduction of new high-speed Commando Insertion Craft. Britain’s elite commandos will be equipped with new high-speed craft, state-of-the-art drones and autonomous technologies,” the statement said.
According to the government, Jarvis has been re-prioritising the defence investment plan over the past two weeks, which is expected to be published ahead of the NATO summit. The updated plan is set to prioritise the provision of the latest equipment to service personnel, particularly for Britain’s elite commandos.
The 3rd Commando Brigade, part of the Royal Marines, is the British Army’s elite rapid reaction force, designed to be deployed anywhere in the world at very short notice. As the government notes, they form the vanguard of NATO’s rapid reaction forces.
The updated DIP programme allocates over 500 million pounds to transform the commandos into the ‘commando force of the future’, which will be based in the Far North due to its growing importance to the security of the UK and NATO:
“These lethal forces will be equipped with new high-speed Commando Insertion Cable (CIC) boats, which can be used to further seize tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet and for other maritime security operations.”
In particular, nearly 100 million pounds will be spent on new transformative technologies. This involves equipping the force with drones, next-generation communications, networked target surveillance and strike drones. According to the Ministry of Defence’s estimates, this will create significant economic opportunities for British industry, supporting highly skilled jobs, technology and export potential.
“We are investing in new lethal strike drones, high-speed boats and amphibious transport ships to equip our commandos with the equipment they need to stay one step ahead of our adversaries and protect us. The defence investment plan will prioritise the delivery of the latest equipment to our forces on the front line, so that they can continue their vital work in an increasingly dangerous world,” said Dan Jarvis.
Jarvis’s predecessor, John Gili, who retired on 11 June, cited a lack of defence funding as the reason for his decision.