The British Army has suspended a range of non-essential training exercises in an urgent move to reduce spending, raising fresh questions about military readiness.

The decision affects collective training for UK-based units that are not preparing for a specific deployment, on standby or assigned to a quick-reaction role. Those higher-readiness forces are expected to continue training. 

Among the exercises reportedly cancelled are training involving Challenger 2 tanks and Apache helicopters, while some reservists are also expected to receive fewer training days this year. 

The Army says it is prioritising training shaped by lessons from the war in Ukraine, including drone warfare and modern battlefield tactics. The government also has a planned £2 billion, 15-year programme to modernise Army training. 

The move comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces growing political pressure over defence spending, with the government under scrutiny over how quickly it can increase military investment while managing wider public spending pressures. 

The suspension has placed defence readiness and military funding firmly back at the centre of Britain's political debate, particularly as ministers continue to warn about an increasingly uncertain international security environment.