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MoD announces details of 4,200 job cuts | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Ministry of Defence has announced its plans for a second round of redundancies in the armed forces. | |
The Army will see up to 2,900 redundancies, while the RAF will lose up to 1,000 personnel and the Royal Navy up to 300. | |
The job losses will account for some of the cuts already announced under the government's defence review. | The job losses will account for some of the cuts already announced under the government's defence review. |
The MoD said difficult decisions had to be taken to deal with the "black hole" in its budget. | The MoD said difficult decisions had to be taken to deal with the "black hole" in its budget. |
Under the terms of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, announced in 2010, the navy and the RAF have to cut 5,000 jobs each by 2015. | |
'Worse prospects' | 'Worse prospects' |
BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt says the Army, RAF and navy will ask for volunteers, but more redundancies are likely to be compulsory this time. | BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt says the Army, RAF and navy will ask for volunteers, but more redundancies are likely to be compulsory this time. |
Our correspondent says this is because many who wanted to leave did so in the last round, and job prospects outside the armed forces may be seen as worse now. | Our correspondent says this is because many who wanted to leave did so in the last round, and job prospects outside the armed forces may be seen as worse now. |
Some will be exempt from redundancy, unless they volunteer, including those serving on the front lines in Afghanistan, those preparing to go and those who have recently returned. | |
Under the government cuts, the Army needs to reduce its total fighting force from 100,000 to 82,000 by 2020. The current round is expected to affect ranks from private soldiers through to brigadiers. | |
Military planners had already singled out the 3,500-strong Gurkha brigade for job cuts, arguing they were overmanned. It is expected they could lose up to 400 personnel. | |
An estimated 140 Gurkhas lost their jobs in the first wave of MoD cuts last year. | An estimated 140 Gurkhas lost their jobs in the first wave of MoD cuts last year. |
The Gurkhas, based at Shorncliffe in Kent, have been part of the British Army for more than half a century. | The Gurkhas, based at Shorncliffe in Kent, have been part of the British Army for more than half a century. |
Pay and conditions | Pay and conditions |
Following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India and Britain meant four Gurkha regiments from the Indian Army were transferred to the British Army, eventually becoming the Gurkha Brigade. | |
The latest job losses are likely to anger campaigners who lobbied for equal pay and conditions for the Gurkhas. | The latest job losses are likely to anger campaigners who lobbied for equal pay and conditions for the Gurkhas. |
Whitehall sources say no pilots or trainee pilots are among the redundancies sought by the RAF. | Whitehall sources say no pilots or trainee pilots are among the redundancies sought by the RAF. |
Both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force expect this to be their last round of redundancies, with natural wastage and a recruitment freeze in some areas making up for the rest. | Both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force expect this to be their last round of redundancies, with natural wastage and a recruitment freeze in some areas making up for the rest. |
Are you in the armed forces? Are you worried you might be affected by this second round of redundancies? Send us your stories using the form below. | Are you in the armed forces? Are you worried you might be affected by this second round of redundancies? Send us your stories using the form below. |