BRITAIN is preparing to call up military veterans for a major mobilisation exercise next year as the Government strengthens its ability to respond to a potential military crisis.
Former members of the Army, Royal Navy and RAF will be drawn from the UK's 95,000-strong Strategic Reserve to test whether they can be contacted, mobilised and equipped during a crisis.
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The exercise will test procedures for calling up former service personnel and getting them ready to return to military duties.
Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the Strategic Reserve would be exercised "on a scale we haven't seen for a long time".
However, the exact number of veterans who will take part has not yet been confirmed.
The plans were revealed during evidence to the House of Lords' National Resilience Committee on Monday, September 7.
Ms Sandher-Jones said: "The strategic reserve is a real commitment for those that are in it and they will be exercised as part of our exercise programme next year where we will go through measures to call out, use, equip and all the rest of the procedures we'd have to go through to use the strategic reserve properly."
The announcement comes as Britain seeks to strengthen its defence readiness amid growing concerns about the threat posed by Russia.
The Government has also been working to overhaul the Strategic Reserve, with legislation designed to expand the pool of former service personnel who could be called upon during a crisis.
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Can former military personnel be recalled?
Existing legislation means former regular and reserve officers can retain a liability to be recalled throughout their lives.
The Ministry of Defence is also required to maintain contact with former personnel for six years after they leave full-time service.
However, concerns have been raised over the ability of officials to keep track of people after that period.
The planned exercise is intended to put the system to the test and establish how effectively the Strategic Reserve could be activated when needed.
When will the mobilisation exercise happen?
The exercise is planned for 2027, although an exact date and the number of veterans involved have not yet been announced.
It will form part of a wider programme of exercises designed to test Britain's national resilience and defence preparedness.
For now, the announcement does not mean that all 95,000 members of the Strategic Reserve are being called back into service.
Instead, a group of former service personnel will be used to test whether the wider system is capable of mobilising the reserve if Britain faces a serious crisis.
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