The external scrutiny team’s annual statutory report 2024 provides an in-depth and independent assessment of the state of the United Kingdom’s Reserve Forces. This report, mandated by the Defence Reform Act 2014, offers a detailed evaluation of Reserve Forces’ capabilities, recruitment, and infrastructure.
The report highlights:
- the Reserve Forces’ vital role in addressing modern Defence demands
- key challenges in recruitment, training, and infrastructure sustainability
- recommendations to enhance the Reserve Forces’ effectiveness and integration within the Whole Force approach
This document serves as a critical resource for understanding the Reserve Forces’ strategic importance and the measures required to sustain and improve their contribution to UK Defence.
This year’s main recommendations are:
We would recommend that the Defence Review Team should ensure that it engages with those who have a sufficiency the knowledge, experience and radical perspective of what a volunteer part time reserve is capable of, if it is given a clear role, is properly structured, equipped and resourced. (Paragraph 34)
We would recommend to Project Wavell that units of the Army Reserve should be structured to deploy and fight as units, as they were during the Cold War, to deliver collective capabilities as opposed to a WFI to regular units. (Paragraph 35c)
We would recommend that in this Defence Review, all three Services consider what warfighting capabilities and/or weapon systems can be held predominately in the Reserve. (Paragraphs 36a and b)
We recommend that the Army build on the success of 19 Infantry Brigade and create other functional brigades, or all arms Reserve brigades. The latter would allow more easily for all arms training. (Paragraph 36d)
We recommend that the RAF should consider creating multi-discipline units that deploy to provide the support to the aircraft and crews that have been dispersed from their Main Operating Bases to other airfields and landing strips across the UK. (Paragraph 36e)
We would recommend that the Royal Navy consider expanding its Reserve component for UK maritime security (UK waters and abroad) to augment the delivery of a range of capabilities being introduced by the new platforms and technologies such as the SEA-Class workboats. (Paragraph 36f)
