Confirmed: 5,300 soldiers to go in latest army cuts

22 January 2013

The third tranche of armed forces redundancies will involve up to 5,300 soldiers but current operations in Afghanistan will not be affected, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The latest round of cuts, which will not involve any Royal Navy or RAF personnel, is the most recent development in what will see the size of the army reduced to 82,000 by 2015.

General Sir Peter Wall, the chief of the general staff said the latest announcement would "present an opportunity" for some but added that many soldiers would have their service curtailed "prematurely".

Reports had indicated that the army was considering whether it could continue exemptions for those preparing to deploy to Afghanistan.

But is has now been confirmed that soldiers preparing for combat operations will still be exempt, unless they voluntarily apply.

Other groups of soldiers exempt include those that are recovering from a serious injury sustained on operations. Soldiers on combat operations and soldiers recovering from combat operations will also not be made redundant in this tranche unless they voluntarily apply.

Drawdown plans will however mean that those units liable to deploy on Herrick 19 will not be confirmed until April 2013.

The MoD added that personnel who are liable to deploy with their units to Afghanistan in autumn 2013 on the day the redundancy notices are issued will be exempt from tranche three unless they are an applicant.

"Unfortunately redundancies are unavoidable due to the size of the defence deficit that this government inherited and the consequent scale of downsizing required in the army," said Defence Secretary Philip Hammond.

"We will have smaller armed forces but they will in future be properly equipped and well funded, unlike before. These redundancies will not affect current operations in Afghanistan, where our armed forces continue to fight so bravely on this country's behalf."

General Wall added: "I fully recognise the unwelcome uncertainty and pressure for those who will be liable in the employment fields announced today.

"For some it may present an opportunity; for others it will curtail their service prematurely.

"Our aim now is to apply the process as fairly as possible and to prepare to support those individuals who are selected as they and their families' transition to civilian life."

The MoD said there was likely to be a need for a further tranche for army personnel and medical and dental personnel from the Royal Navy and the RAF. This was likely to include soldiers who were exempt due to operational exclusions in the third tranche.