Setting priorities in the age of austerity

This study examines the British, French, and German armies{u2019} approaches to managing significant budget cuts while attempting to sustain their commitment to full spectrum operations. Specifically, it looks at the choices these armies are making with respect to how they spend dwindling resources: What force structure do they identify as optimal? How much readiness do they regard as necessary? Which capabilities are they abandoning? It was found that they are prioritizing capabilities and compromising readiness and sustainability while attempting to optimize their force structure and readiness system to reflect their perceived role in future conflicts, as informed by their assessment of risk and the lessons they have derived from the conflict in Afghanistan and the 2006 Lebanon War. Among other things, these militaries are moving toward a medium-weight force built around a new generation of medium-weight armored vehicles. The French army appears to be the last Western European force capable of conducting the full range of operations{u2014}including high-intensity conventional conflict{u2014}autonomously and for a sustained period of time. That may change soon, however, with the anticipated release of the 2013 Livre Blanc (White Book), which will define France's national security strategy and capabilities for the next five years.