Up to 20,000 British military personnel will be put on standby to help combat the coronavirus, with troops gearing up to drive oxygen tankers, support the police and boost hospital capacity.
On Thursday 19th 2020, British reservists forces will be put on notice to mobilise if required as part of a “war-time” like effort to prepare the armed forces in case the government is forced to call upon them in large numbers.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “The men and women of our armed forces stand ready to protect Britain and her citizens from all threats, including COVID-19,
“The unique flexibility and dedication of the services means that we are able to provide assistance across the whole of society in this time of need.
“From me downwards the entirety of the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces are dedicated to getting the nation through this global pandemic.”
Soldiers, sailors and airmen are already helping other government departments and local authorities with their planning for the pandemic, however military involvement could significantly rise if the crisis is to escalate and the government is forced to call on the Ministry of Defence for assistance.
The 20,000 troops mentioned is on top of an already prepared and existing force of about the same size that is already on standby to respond to any emergency in the UK.
Reservists could be required to step up in specialist roles, such as engineers or technicians.
Major General Charlie Stickland, Assistance Chief of the Defence Staff Operations and Commitments said: “Putting more personnel at a higher state of readiness and having our reserves on standby gives us greater flexibility to support public services as and when they require our assistance,
“Our servicemen and women are committed to maintain our operational output and delivering any support the government requires.”
The codename for the push to “deliver COVID-19 resilience” to the military’s operations at home is known as Operation Rescript. The effort to do the same for defence activities overseas is Operation Broadshare. This also includes support for the UK’s overseas territories such as the Falkland Islands.
General Sir Richard Barrons, a former senior commander, said the Ministry of Defence will have plans in place to ensure key tasks to protect the country, “The military is used to thinking about force protection. They know that the enemy has a vote,” he said.
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