Lords Committee to hear evidence on the role of the UK’s air and land forces in defence strategy
Monday 13 June 2022
On Wednesday 15 June the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will hear from former senior officers in the Army and Royal Air Force on the vision for these sectors of the Armed Forces as set out in the Defence Command Paper. The Committee will be exploring whether the ambitions of the document are still attainable one year on from its publication.
The sessions will run from 10.30am and will be available to watch live or on demand on Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 4A, Palace of Westminster.
Giving evidence will be:
10.30am
- General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, Commander Land Forces (2013), Deputy Supreme Commander Europe (2014-17).
11.30am
- Air Marshal (Retired) Phil Osborn, Chief of Defence Intelligence (2015-18); and
- Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow, Airpower & Technology, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
Questions may include:
- What are the air power implications of the evacuation from Afghanistan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? Have they exposed any weaknesses, or to the contrary, showed that the UK is well prepared for such crises?
- What would you identify as the key lessons for the British Army from Russia’s attack on Ukraine?
- What is your assessment of the ambitions for and role of the land forces in the Defence Command Paper? Do you believe that the British Army can fulfil the future need identified in the Command Paper, and does the Command Paper adequately address the future needs of the British Army?
- What is your assessment of the vision for the UK’s air power set out by the Integrated Review and the Defence Command Paper? Is the balance of emphasis between the Air Force and the other Services appropriate?
- How do the UK’s capabilities compare with the assessment and plans made by other NATO countries? How is the UK seeking to influence NATO’s strategy in this regard? Do you agree with the UK’s approach, or do you believe there are other areas the UK should focus on trying to influence NATO’s strategy?
