Army makes 20,000 job cuts three years ahead of schedule

The British Army has reduced its personnel by more than 20,000, three years ahead of schedule, figures from the Ministry of Defence reveal.

There are currently 81,700 servicemen and women working full-time in the Army, compared to 102,260 five years ago, the BBC reports.

The highly controversial cuts began after the government's strategic defence and security review ordered a restructuring. The MoD had scheduled to make the cuts 20,000 personnel by 2018 but has delivered early.

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The MoD insists the Army has "the manpower we need at the moment", but admitted that it was facing challenges recruiting the required reservists.

But Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, told the BBC that the plan was "incoherent" and showed "confusion".

"Not only does that cause us concern about how we govern our people, but it is also the message we are sending to our enemies," he said.

Kemp suggested the reduction in manpower could have dangerous consequences for Britain. "That kind of message always shows aggression towards us."

The cuts come at a time of great global insecurity, with the war against Islamic State raging in Iraq and Syria, the conflict in Ukraine ongoing and upheaval in large parts of North and Central Africa.

Last year, Robert Gates, the former US defence secretary who oversaw operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, warned that the spending cuts imposed on Britain's armed forces would limit the UK’s ability to be a major player on the world stage.

Professor Keith Hartley, defence economist from the University of York, said the cuts were realistic following the withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, but had left the country with a lower defence capability.

"We can't fight in as many wars and conflicts," he said. "We must look at the alternatives like the use of air power to replace boots on the ground as well as technology like drones."