U.K. military chief says training faces cuts without added defense funds

Britain's most senior military officer told lawmakers that critical operations and exercises may need to be scaled back if the government does not provide the armed forces with additional funding. On Tuesday, Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton, chief of the Defense Staff, said greater defense spending is needed to reverse the hollowness of the British armed forces.

He told members of the House of Lords' International Relations and Defense Committee that faster improvements in readiness would accelerate modernization.

Concerns over day-to-day funding Mr.

Knighton said he was most concerned about the shrinking pool of cash needed to cover the British military's day-to-day operational priorities, like military exercises and training. These activities ensure service members remain ready with current equipment, he said.

He noted Britain is still dealing with high inflation that began during the COVID pandemic. Fuel costs are 88% higher than they were at this time last year for aviation fuel, for example, Mr. Knighton told the House of Lords. The main options to reduce spending involve cutting activities such as exercises, training, and operations.

Spending targets and leadership change Mr.

Knighton called for a clear plan to reach a defense spending level of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. NATO expects the U.K. to spend 3.5% of GDP on hard defense, and that is the commitment the prime minister has made, he said. His testimony came a week after the resignation of former Defense Secretary John Healey, who criticized the government's plan to increase defense spending to 2.68% of GDP rather than 3% by 2030.