05.07.12
20,000 army posts to go under budget cuts
Army cuts could see 20,000 jobs disappearing over the next two years – many through compulsory redundancy.
Defence secretary Philip Hammond is expected to confirm today the closure of five battalions, with others to be merged.
The new structure will see the army with a reduced strength of 82,000 – half the amount it had in the Cold War era – split into reaction forces, adaptable forces and force troops.
Due to budget cuts, the army has to cut a significant number of jobs. The next two tranches of redundancy are expected to be huge, to avoid dragging out the cuts. These are likely to coincide with the drawdown fromAfghanistan.
Implementing the cuts quickly will also protect personnel from EU legislation, due to become effective in 2015, which would entitle only three months redundancy pay, as opposed to the current nine months.
Reports this morning suggest that the battalions expected to go are the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland as well as some from the Royal Welsh, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Mercians.
The Queen’s Royal Lancers will be merged with the 9th/12th Lancers as will the 1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments.
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