The army numbered 3.1million at the end of World War Two and then shrank to 159,000 in 1980 and was at 102,120 in 2003, during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
Daily Mail: Boris Johnson vows to maintain the size of UK's military after claims that defence chiefs will slash the Army to its smallest size in a century and lend aircraft carriers to the US
* Military top brass are considering cutting the army down to between 60,000 and 65,000
* Sources said the army is pressing for an aircraft carrier to be leased to the US
* Navy chiefs are understood to be furious and want RAF numbers cut instead
* Tories pledged in 2015 to maintain force of 82,000 but it is already at 73,000
Boris Johnson has today vowed to maintain the size of the UK's military after claims that defence chiefs would slash army numbers and lend a new aircraft carrier to the US.
'We will not be cutting our armed forces in any form. We will be maintaining the size of our armed services,' Mr Johnson said as he unveiled the Tory manifesto in Telford.
A report in The Sunday Times had claimed that the Tories were scrapping a commitment to 'maintain the overall size of the armed forces' made two years ago by Theresa May.
It said that high-ranking officers are considering an army between 60,000 and 65,000, shrinking it to the smallest force in centuries.
Read more ....
Update #1: British army to see number of troops slashed (The Week)
Update #2: British Army wants Royal Navy flagship super carrier 'leased to USA' (Plymouth)
WNU Editor: The U.K. Defense minister is denying these reports .... 'No Plans To Shrink British Army', Defence Secretary Says (Forces Network).
