An aerial view of Diego Garcia. (Image: U.S. Navy via AP)
ARMY chiefs could be forced to axe the equivalent of an entire brigade to meet the cost of its flawed Chagos Islands deal, an MP warned last night.
It comes as the US warns Europe that it must “step into the arena and take ownership” of its own defence while Washington focuses on China.
“Meeting the huge costs this deal brings could have drastic consequences for our defence capability”, said Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP, a former army officer.
Labour’s controversial deal to cede sovereignty was pegged at £90 billion for a 99-year lease of the islands, which contain a crucial military base on Diego Garcia.
But that figure could be doubled after new Mauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam called for the settlement to take account of inflation.
This may put the cost of the deal at £180m a year.
The Government has already confirmed that the “policy impact assessments” of the deal will be “owned by the FCDO and MoD”.
With the Foreign Office operating on a relatively tiny budget, however, most of the cost will be borne by the cash-strapped MoD, which is currently mulling the conclusions of a defence review led by former Nato secretary general Lord Robertson.
It takes between £140m – £150m a year to run a light or logistics brigade of 3,000 soldiers in pay and operating costs.
The 4th Light Brigade Combat Team – better known as “the Black Rats” – costs around £140m a year, according to official figures.
Famed for their role in North Africa during the Second World War, the brigade fought in the First Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan and consists of a Light Cavalry Regiment and six light-role Infantry battalions, as well as specialist artillery and engineer units.
According to the British Army it is “optimised for warfighting in complex terrain and their core purpose is to be first to the fight and win”.
Similarly, 102 Operational Sustainment Brigade, which organises the forward movement of troops and equipment to the battle area, is estimated to cost around £150 a year.
Soldiers from the Black Rats on exercise at the height of the war in Afghanistan (Image: Cpl Jim Barron RLC)
“If the Americans dial things down in Europe, then we need to dial things up” – Gen Lord Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff.
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst (Image: Neil Shastri-Hurst )
Last night Dr Shastri-Hurst, Conservative MP for Solihull West and Shirley, said: “The surrender of the strategically vital Chagos Islands is a failure of leadership by this Labour Government, and meeting the huge costs it brings could have drastic consequences for our defence capability, with resources equivalent to running an entire British Army brigade being diverted away from the MoD.
“It is time the Government changed course and put our national security first.”
His views were echoed by a former head of the British Army.
“We’re under no obligation to go through with this deal and, frankly, it is madness to spend £18 billion on something when we don’t need to,” said General Lord Dannatt.
“Investing in something like a light brigade would be a much better use of our money.”
On Wednesday US defence secretary Pete Hegseth signalled a deep shift in policy away from Europe, as American forces focus on the threat from China.
“Stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe,“ he said in Brussels, adding that Europe will have to “lead from the front” in its own defence.
Lord Dannatt added: “The US isn’t abandoning Nato, but its desire to prioritise the Indo-Pacific is totally understandable.
“If the American dial things down in Europe then , because we are Europeans, we need to dial things up.”