Troops could be on UK streets for up to six months

Troops given four weeks to prepare for war on coronavirus: British Army is set to be on streets for up to six months as 20,000 military personnel are already on standby to help emergency services and build temporary hospitals

• Head of the Armed Forces has called on the military to step up its preparations 
• General Sir Nicholas Carter told troops to be ready to help emergency services
• Around 20,000 members of the armed forces are already on high readiness 
• Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

The army is gearing to deploy on British streets for up to six months to help in the coronavirus crisis.

A note issued by the head of the Armed Forces, General Sir Nicholas Carter, called on the military to step up its preparations to come to the country’s aid.

In the message, sent to senior officers and seen by the BBC, General Carter said troops must be ready to help civilian emergency services, including by setting up ‘temporary hospitals’.

He wrote: ‘The indications are that this disease will spike around late May and early June.

‘We are prepared for our collective posture to be on operational footing by mid-April, recognising this could endure for six months or so.’

Head of the Armed Forces, General Sir Nicholas Carter, called on the military to step up its preparations to come to the country’s aid

Around 20,000 members of the armed forces are already on high readiness to help the police and civil authorities.

The note said troops ‘must be prepared to start contingency planning for MACA (Military Assistance to Civilian Authorities) tasks beyond those specified for the military support force, including for example, the organisation of temporary hospitals’.

As well as helping to tackle the coronavirus crisis General Carter said that the armed forces will still fulfil their duty to protect Britain, ‘recognising that times of national emergency are also opportunities for those who wish to undermine our way of life’.

He adds: ‘This is a time for leaders to step and deliver. As I have often said in the past – we need to be prepared to fight the way we may have to fight and it is now clear that moment has arrived.’

Members of the Army Reserve are among those being put on high readiness to help the police and other emergency services as the full brunt of the pandemic hits.

Despite General Carter’s note however, Downing Street yesterday moved to dispel the idea that armed soldiers in the Covid Support Force would be used to keep order on the streets of cities like London.

No 10 said that although soldiers would be deployed on the street ‘as and if they are required’ there were no plans for them to replace police in dealing with unrest. 

The most vital personnel are likely to be put in quarantine in UK bases until they are needed and all those overseas will have their holiday time cancelled.    

Ministers were warned yesterday that deploying military personnel to support public services is ‘risky’.

No 10 said that although soldiers would be deployed on the street ‘as and if they are required’ there were no plans for them to replace police in dealing with unrest

Elizabeth Braw, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said the tasks which troops would be expected to carry out were ‘not their speciality’ and ‘essentially a distraction’ from their normal duties. 

‘With something like this, it is not exactly clear how the armed forces can support and more importantly we have to consider that they may be needed elsewhere,’ she said.

‘We can’t take for granted that we will only have a virus outbreak. What if there is another contingency, and I think that is the danger in relying on the armed forces.

‘To always assume that they will always be available to help with these kinds of duties that are not their speciality and are essentially a distraction from their speciality is risky.’

There are fears that as the virus outbreak escalates, vital emergency service workers will need military back-up to deliver basic needs.

A total of 150 personnel will begin urgent training from Monday so they are able to drive oxygen tankers to the NHS if a gap emerges. 

Announcing the plans last night, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: ‘The unique flexibility and dedication of the services means that we are able to provide assistance across the whole of society in this time of need.’

Major General Charlie Stickland, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, added: ‘Putting more personnel at a higher state of readiness and having our Reserves on standby gives us greater flexibility to support public services as and when they require our assistance.

‘The Covid Support Force, potentially drawing upon our highly skilled scientists or oxygen tanker drivers, will form part of a whole force effort to support the country.’ 

The Army will also backfill key areas, including replacing police officers, border guards, prison officers and medics under plans code-named Operation Broadshare.

The military is preparing for all scenarios, as it would do in any emergency. In a most-likely scenario, thousands of military medics, including doctors, nurses and combat medics, will be deployed to help hospitals.

But the military could also be used to help expand hospital bed capacity.

This could see troops using hotels, barracks, or erecting Army field hospitals near key locations to help cope with the rising numbers of infected people.

One option that has not been ruled out is using a navy hospital ship which supported operations to curb the Ebola outbreak.

Members of the Household Cavalry stand guard at a nearly-empty Horse Guards in London yesterday 

At any one time there are some 10,000 troops on standby in the UK to help with a crisis. But the number of those at high readiness will be increased to between 15,000 and 20,000 so there are more personnel available to support public services.

Measures have been taken to enable the call out of reservists, should they be required to join the response effort to help deliver public services.

Defence scientists at Porton Down are also working to understand the virus and help tackle its spread.

The military is also helping with ongoing repatriation flights from countries overseas. On top of this, the Ministry of Defence is looking to supply the NHS with as many of its 35 ventilators as possible.

In the US, where deaths have reached at least 205, and infections climbed past 14,000, the army was planning to deploy two hospitals, probably to Seattle, Washington, and New York City.

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