The Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) was presented to Parliament on Tuesday 19 October 2010.  

National Security Strategy (NSS)

The Review was published in two phases. On Monday 18 October 2010, the National Security Strategy (NSS) -  setting out the biggest emerging threats to the UK - was published.  This document underpins the decisions being made on resources. It sets out an analysis of the threats and risks that we face, and a vision of Britain's role in the world going forward.

The NSS sets out two high-level objectives which will guide our strategic approach overall:

- To ensure a secure and resilient UK by protecting our people, economy, infrastructure, territory and ways of life from all major risks that can affect us directly; and

- To shape a stable world, by acting to reduce the likelihood of risks affecting the UK or British interests overseas, and applying our instruments of power and influence to shape the global environment.

The NSS decides our priorities for action, and identifies 15 priority security risks to the UK. The following Tier 1 risks are judged to be our highest priorities for UK national security:

- Terrorism
- Cyber attack
- Major natural hazards and accidents
- International Military Crisis

Afghanistan will remain the top priority while British troops are deployed there.

Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR)

The SDSR Statement on Reserves:

"The Reserve Forces make an invaluable contribution to Defence. Reservists are performing outstandingly in Afghanistan. There is a strong case for reviewing whether our Reserve Forces are properly structured for the type of conflict we envisage in future, so that we make best use of their skills and capabilities whilst moving towards a more efficient structure. A study will be undertaken by the leadership of the Regular and Reserves into the future role and structure of the Reserves. We expect this to take about six months. We are determined that the reservist experience will remain valuable and high quality for Defence, the individual, and employers alike."

This study will be Chaired by General Sir Nicholas Houghton, VCDS and Julian Brazier MP, a member of the House of Commons Defence Committee and Chair of the All Party Group Reserves and Cadets (the clerk to this group is Chief Executive GL RFCA and the Secretariat is provided by GL RFCA).

The study will be known as the Future Reserves 2020 Study (FR20).  It will take six months to complete and MOD is expected to annouce its findings in Summer 2011.  It will be organised into three phases.  In Phase One, the study will develop a common understanding of the context in which Reserves will be used in the future and define the strategic principles around which the balance between Regular and non-Regular manpower should be designed.  Phase Two will focus on Reserve Force structures needed to complement the Regular Force and meet operational requirements.  Later, in Phase Three, the study will develop a detailed concept and outline plan for implementing new single-Services Reserves' structures.

Click here for Terms of Refefence for the Reserves Study.

Click here for the SDSR Reserves and Cadets Information sheet

Click here for the SDSR Reserves and Cadets Question and Answer sheet

Click here for the full text of the SDSR 

2nd RUSI Conference Announced

In December 2010, RUSI organised a major conference to coincide with the start of the Government’s Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) review.  Click here for details of the conference and scripts from all speakers.

In association with the Ministry of Defence, RUSI is holding a second conference, on 21 March, looking at the future of the Reserve Forces.  

There is a body of opinion which considers that a significant and well-thought through role for the Reserves will be one of the benchmarks for measuring the success of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.  As work progresses, it is also creating the space to fundamentally re-examine force models out to the 2020s.  In particular, government is exploring a model where the Reserves and industry are not treated as distinct entities, but integrated into force structures to enable a more fluid and flexible mix and transfer of military, contractor and civilian staff, on demand and through career.

This conference provides a unique opportunity for employers and industry to engage with officials on the emerging ‘Whole Force’ and ‘Total Support Force’ concepts – concepts which will define the relationship between the military and private sector in coming years.

Confirmed speakers include:

• General Sir Nicholas Houghton KCB CBE, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
• Julian Brazier TD MP, Deputy Leader, Future Reserves 2020 Review
• David L McGinnis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, US Department of Defense
• Dr Chris Mace, Director, Defence Support Review, Ministry of Defence

The conference will cover a number of key areas:

• Update from the Ministry of Defence on FR20
• Emerging thinking about the relationship between Regulars, Reserves and the private sector
• Employers’ attitudes to defence and manpower models
• The industrial dimension
• Society’s understanding of defence, conflict and warfare

For further information, and to register, visit www.rusi.org/reservesconference2