Lieutenant-General Jerry Harris of the US Air Force, said the US are ‘worried’ about the proposed cuts to the British military (file pic)
Senior US military chiefs have warned proposals to slash the number of Royal Marines by 1,000 would harm Britain’s ability to ‘project power’ abroad.
Officers said they are ‘worried’ about the ‘damage’ that could be inflicted on America’s most important coalition partner if looming defence cuts go ahead.
The warning comes as British defence chiefs grapple with how to plug the gaping funding whole of between £20 billion and £30 billion over the next decade.
The Ministry of Defence is considering slashing the size of its 6,640-strong Royal Marine force, cutting the army from 82,000 to 65,000 or ditching HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion.
Colonel Dan Sullivan said cuts to the Royal Marines and the loss of two amphibious assault ships would change the military relationship between the US and UK.
Speaking at a defence conference in London yesterday, The Times reported him saying: ‘My message is to articulate how important having that capability in our partner is.
‘And how damaging I think it would be if our most important coalition partner potentially takes the hits that are projected right now.’
He added: ‘If you want to be decisive you have to be able to project power ashore at some point.’
Colonel Sullivan said that while the ‘Special Relationship’ between Britain and the US would remain, future military joint working could be harmed.
He said: ‘From a military standpoint as the UK continues to diminish and as the Royal Marines in particular take a hit, I think that our view of what we will be able to do together in the future changes.’
Lieutenant-General Jerry Harris of the US Air Force also warned against cuts and urged Theresa May to increase defence spending.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, pictured at the naming ceremony for HMS Medway last week, is facing big cuts to his marine numbers as the MoD grapple with having to meet a massive blackhole in their budget
He said: ‘We are worried about the talk of any reductions but, again, internally each country has to look at the risks they have and make the decisions that they need to make.’
He added: ‘Having that war fighting capability is expensive but more expensive is losing the next fight . . . I think we could do better by spending a little more on our defence.’
It comes after a British former defence chief yesterday warned the Government must invest more in the military to protect the country.
General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of Joint Forces Command, said the UK cannot protect itself from a surprise attack from Russia or China because ministers have failed to adapt to the changes in warfare.
He said the UK has not carried out a full assessment of military needs since the end of the Cold War.
He slammed the Government for not having the ‘profoundly important debate’ and said it urgently needs to invest to take on the new threats like cyber.
Without proper investment the UK will be unable to defend the homeland or come to the aid of allies abroad, he warned.
The interventions pile pressure on Chancellor Philip Hammond to find cash in next month’s Budget to beef up Britain’s Armed Forces.