A dispute has broken out in the UK’s armed forces over how best to counter the threat from Russia, with the Royal Navy arguing it risks being denied sufficient funding because the Ministry of Defence is prioritising the army.
Senior officials from the three services met in Whitehall earlier this month, with people familiar with the talks saying the navy, as well as the Royal Air Force, argued the greatest threat to the UK would likely come via sea and air rather than a land war.
The army has argued it needs to rebuild after decades of underfunding, while the rapid development of drone warfare in the Ukraine-Russia war has revolutionised combat for ground forces.