UK to mobilize veterans up to 65 as war-readiness rules expand
Britain plans to raise the eligible age for mobilizing the strategic reserve from 55 to 65 under a new Armed Forces bill, potentially bringing tens of thousands more veterans into service to ready the forces for war. The Army is at its smallest in centuries (about 70,000 regulars) with roughly 95,000 in the strategic reserve and 32,000 reservists, amid a £28 billion funding gap over four years and a delay in the Defence Investment Plan. The changes come as tensions with Russia rise and the government signals possible deployments to Ukraine, with discussions suggesting up to 7,500 troops could be involved, though MoD sources say the number could be lower.
