'Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review' details how our Armed Forces will be reshaped to tackle emerging and future threats.
There have been two main priorities in the review:
- to ensure that our mission in Afghanistan is protected, and
- to make sure we emerge with a coherent defence capability in 2020
Afghanistan remains the MOD's top priority and we will do all we can to ensure success.
Defence cannot continue on an unaffordable footing. The SDSR aims to bring defence plans, commitments and resources into balance so that we have a coherent defence capability and a sustainable defence programme for the future.
Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, said:
"The front line has been protected because Afghanistan is the Government's top priority.
"Tough decisions are required to reconfigure our Armed Forces to confront future threats whilst we also tackle the £38bn deficit that has accumulated in the 12 years since the last Defence Review.
"The MOD must become as effective and as efficient as possible. Lord Levene will help me deliver radical reform to streamline the Department."
Dr Fox has issued a video message on the review to all Defence personnel - see Related Links.
The Permanent Secretary, Sir Bill Jeffrey, and Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, together with the Service Chiefs and other members of the Defence Board, have been closely involved throughout the review.
There will be some major changes to force elements of all three Services to enable them to meet future force structures.
For further information on the detail of this review see the news story 'Defence and Security Review Published' at Related News on the right hand side of this page.
The SDRS and NSS documents can be seen in full at Related links also on the right hand side of this page along with the Prime Minister's statements to Parliament on the SDSR.
Fact sheets providing summarised key points from the two reports on specific areas including the effects on each Armed Service can be found at the link to the Cabinet Office website also on the right hand side of this page.