ARMED Forces are facing a manpower crisis with nearly one in five servicemen and women not fit to fight.
Ministry of Defence figures reveal 27,000 personnel cannot go into combat.
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Most of the troops medically downgraded have broken bones, damaged muscles, torn ligaments and back injuries Credit: Alamy 2
Richard Kemp, a former British Army commander, said, 'It is quite staggering one fifth of our military are not fully fit and ready to deploy — especially given the small size our forces now. Credit: Mary Turner - The Times
More than 13,000 from the Army, Navy and Air Force cannot leave the UK for military ops because of their physical or mental health, a Freedom of Information request shows.
And a further 13,786 are classified as being of medically limited deployability — meaning they could leave the UK but would not be able to be in any combat operations.
Most of the troops medically downgraded have broken bones, damaged muscles, torn ligaments and back injuries.
But 4,000 are said to be suffering from mental health problems.
Britain still has more than 110,000 medically sound troops available to deploy, the figures show.
About 101,000 troops have been downgraded over the past four years.
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Richard Kemp, a former British Army commander, said: “It is quite staggering one fifth of our military are not fully fit and ready to deploy — especially given the small size our forces now.
“Action is required to discharge those who cannot be made fit and replace them.”
The MoD said: “At any point around 90 per cent of our Armed Forces are deployable.
“For many unable to deploy, it is a temporary measure.”
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