Nicholas Drummond

The F-15 Eagle is one of those aircraft that refuses to die. It first flew in 1972 and an upgraded version remains in service today. Along with the B-52, KC-135, CH-47 Chinook, and C-130, it seems destined to achieve the same 60-year milestone.

According to a House of Commons briefing £10.8 bn or 19% of the UK's £56.4 bn defence budget goes on the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (strategic deterrent & infrastructure). This means we spend £45.6 bn on conventional defence or 1.6% of GDP.
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CB...

Yes, I've seen that. I was surprised that the officer's superiors allowed him to publicly criticise the weapon. This tells me all is not well with the program.

YouTube video by BBC Newsnight Former MI6 boss on Trump, Putin and a 'new era' for international relations

This is the best summary of the current geopolitical situation I have seen. Sir Alex Younger (head of MI6 from 2014-2020) is a genuine expert and provides concise insight into a complex situation. Not just some talking head with an opinion. Really worth watching.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9pL...

The low recoil 105mm Hawkeye system is interesting, normally seen on light vehicles, this short video clip showcases it on a towed carriage for additional mobility and flexibility

YouTube video by Pax Americana A Conversation with UK Land Warfare Expert Nicholas Drummond

@michaelshurkin.bsky.social interviewing @ndrummond.bsky.social about the trends in land warfare.

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it. Do comment if you think I missed anything important.

This week's decision by Germany to order the Type 212CD submarine is significant. As this comparison shows, the 212CD is not merely an updated 212A, but a completely new design. It's much bigger with a stealthy diamond shape hull, so should have longer sea legs. (images @covertshores.bsky.social)

The KNDS Dingo's best features are not best-in-class-protection or unmatched off-road performance, but rather the fact that it uses commercial chassis, the Mercedes-Benz Unimog. With parts widely available from an extant global supply chain, Dingo is seriously affordable both to buy and to operate.

If Trump decides to go on supporting Ukraine, this will be the best possible news for the rest of Europe. We need Putin to withdraw his forces from the region. Unfortunately, when he does, it will not be the end. Aided by China and Iran, he will re-group and re-arm before trying again.

The two primary combat divisions are supported by Field Army Troops, Home Command, and Joint Command. This structure is achievable within the current headcount cap of 73K. If we want the Regular Army to be deployable without relying on the Army Reserve, it needs an extra 4K personnel or Ideally 80K.

If Britain can't afford an army that looks something like this, then something is wrong with this country. Eight brigades: two heavy, two medium, two light, and two SF. All our NATO allies have at least something similar. If we want to operate in partnership with them, this is what it takes.

Enough said.

I have now been an advisor to KNDS Germany for 5 years. Over this time, the world has changed drastically. So I’m glad we’re supplying Boxer to the British Army via a UK production line. I always believed that Boxer would be an outstanding capability. Nothing has changed my mind about this.

UK military budget must rise by 56%, Ministry of Defence calculations say Amount would far outstrip current 2.5% target and take annual spending above £90bn

The UK government has pledged to spend 2.5% on defence. Problem is that it’s own calculations say that 3.6% is needed.

UK military budget must rise by 56%, Ministry of Defence calculations say on.ft.com/4fxc71c

So there's an urgent need for a new generation of low-cost, easy-to-produce modular combat vehicles with improved protection and cross-country performance. This was the intention behind vehicles like Boxer. Unfortunately, the armies who bought them could not resist adding complexity and cost.

The only type of vehicles that can be manufactured quickly are the new breed of MRAPs that have appeared over the last decade. While these offer Level 2 or 3 protection, they are not as survivable as MBTs and IFVs, are much less capable off-road, and cannot mount large weapons.

It's fair to say that European armies with smaller combat vehicle fleets will generally be used-up within 3 to 6 months of constant operational use. The trouble with the gold-plated armoured platforms we have today is that they cannot be easily, quickly or inexpensively replaced.

Since the end of the Cold War, NATO armies have become smaller. Many have compensated for a lack of mass by adopting increasingly capable and sophisticated armoured vehicles. As Ukraine shows, the problem with this approach is that combat vehicle fleets are soon depleted by high intensity combat.

Video on how to restructure the Army for large improvements by 2030 without writing a blank cheque.

A lot of deep work has gone into the numbers and structure behind the presentation overview.

The AR infantry units in armoured and mechanised brigades provide battlefield casualty replacements. These are needed because high end warfare will the losses sustained in recent conflicts look like a picnic.

REVERSING 40 YEARS OF DECLINE By Nicholas Drummond This post is a video that considers how the British Army should be reconfigured to ensure it delivers against Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker’s aspira…

My latest blog post at UKLandPower.com is a video rather than a written article. It looks at how the Army could be restructured to deliver against General Sir Roly Walker's aspirations to double Army lethality by 2027 and triple it by 2030.

uklandpower.com/2024/12/13/r...

Ukraine shows that engineers are vital for clearing obstacles, especially in urban areas. Each brigade needs its own Close Support Regt. with mine clearance, digging, demolition, and bridging capabilities. You also need Force Support Regts with heavy bridging. This quickly adds up to more units.

It's not adding more battalions, but simply retaking the Security Force Assistance battalions as regular infantry. We presently have 32 battalions, but 8 of these are Ranger, SFA or SFSG battalions, which means we effectively have just 23 proper battalions. This is shameful.

I believe HIMARS is essential for 1st (UK) Division as it offers utility across high end war fighting tasks, but can also be used for precision strikes for counter-insurgency operations. I see HIMARS plus 120 mm mortars as the ideal replacement for the 105 mm might gun.

REVERSING 40 YEARS OF DECLINE By Nicholas Drummond This post is a video that considers how the British Army should be reconfigured to ensure it delivers against Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker’s aspira…

My latest blog post at UKLandPower.com is a video rather than a written article. It looks at how the Army could be restructured to deliver against General Sir Roly Walker's aspirations to double Army lethality by 2027 and triple it by 2030.

uklandpower.com/2024/12/13/r...

“My dad is very much looking forward to welcoming you back to the United Kingdom.” Consensus is that the Prince of Wales did an excellent job of charming President Elect Trump, our most important ally and partner.

It's been adopted by the Royal Marines in 6.5 mm Creedmoor.

6.5 Creedmoor can be adopted with just a barrel change, so it’s low risk. 6.8 NGSW is extremely powerful, but requires a completely new weapon, so is high risk. As 6.8 NGSW is optimised, its specs are converging with those of 6.5 CM to the point where 6.5 CM may be a safer, more reliable choice.

The British and American armies will definitely stick with 5.56 mm. The question is whether 6.5 mm Creedmoor or 6.8 mm NGSW replace 7.62 mm.