Lieutenant-General Jonathon Riley CB DSO PhD MA FRHistS

We, the undersigned, have all held senior commands, including fighting commands, across the spectrum in Her Majesty’s Service. We believe that President Trump asks a valid question and that he deserves a serious reply. In Great Britain’s case, the following EIGHT points are the framework for that reply. They call for a ten year programme of rebuilding and realignment to begin with the imminent Modernising Defence report which must reflect this scale of responsibility. We respectfully remind the Prime Minister that, uniquely in Government, she and her Ministers do not control how much money is needed to provide adequate defence of the Realm: our potential enemies determine what is needed. This is an eternal truth from which there is no waiver. President Trump is right to warn us not to relearn this bitter lesson. He is also right that Europe has been a free rider on US defence for far too long.
That period is now over.

General Sir Richard Barrons (former Commander, Joint Forces Command)
Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham (former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff)
Sir Richard Dearlove (Former Chief, Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon (former Chief of the Air Staff)
General Sir Michael Jackson (former Chief of the General Staff)
Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott (former Flag Officer Submarines)
Lt General Jonathon Riley (former GOC British Forces Iraq & Deputy Cdr ISAF, Afghanistan)
Major General Julian Thompson Royal Marines (Cdr 3 Cdo Bde 1982 leading recapture of the Falkland Islands)
Admiral Sir George Zambellas (former First Sea Lord)

Contact: wewant8@outlook.com

1. Spending precisely targeted to rebuild our hollowed-out key front line capabilities – capability means systems and people – to provide decisive assets across the whole spectrum of modern conflict. Special funding should be directed into complementary technical investment in Artificial Intelligence and autonomous systems, active and passive cyber and Secret Intelligence but without reduction in other areas. A further eternal truth of war is that the enemy does not attack in the area of latest vogue, but in whichever area has been allowed to decay. All must be strong across the full spectrum of modern and future warfare.
2. A Royal Navy restored as a truly world-wide power and a Brigade level amphibious capability for the Royal Marines reinstated.
3. A Field Army based on a Corps of 3 Divisions.
4. An Air Force capable, sufficient and resourced both to secure our airspace and to conduct successful full-spectrum joint operations.
5. A multi-service capability to secure all our borders, waters and territorial assets.
6. Withdrawal from the EU Galileo satellite programme and the building of a national 4i GPS satellite system to enhance Five Eyes secure capabilities.
7. A Defence Budget sufficient for all these needs. Just like in the later 1930s, we can’t afford not to; and for as long as it takes, with a cast iron commitment to our NATO and Five Eyes allies.
8. Arbitrary manpower caps lifted, the Forces re-recruited as restored capabilities demand, and the return of recruiting from out-sourced companies to the Services including MI6.