By Col. Richard Williams and Gen. Sir Graeme Lamb. Edited by James Norman.

As the Government considers how to re-shape its policy to face new threats and deliver the savings needed to help reduce public spending, Upgrading Our Armed Forces presents an alternative model of how to staff and manage the UK’s armed forces.

Following the creation of the National Security Council in May 2010, the authors question whether the existing operational chain of command needs to be simplified to take account of more direct political control over military decision making. They examine what, if any, new alliances might be required to ensure the continued safety of UK citizens and interests; as well as considering whether the military’s existing technological base is adequate to deal with warfare dominated as much by information, as industrial power.

The report also examines a number of recent operations undertaken by British forces in different parts of the world and considers what lessons should be drawn from them in order to ensure that those in positions of leadership are able to respond effectively to new and emerging security threats.