For the second time in two years the British government is conducting a defence review. The Integrated Review Refresh exercise is supposed to be in response to the Ukraine crisis, but the UK's economic situation means there is little extra money to boost airpower capabilities. Tim Ripley investigates.
At the end of January newspaper reports appeared claiming the RAF and Royal Navy were “not pulling their weight” to support Ukraine. The apparently well sourced articles quoted senior defence officials, saying the burden of helping the Ukrainian military was falling disproportionately on the British Army, which only a few days before had been ordered by Prime Minister Rushi Sunak to send 14 of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
