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The recent conflict in the Gulf has served as a harsh wake-up call for the British public regarding the state of the UK's armed forces. While air defence systems and fighter jets were swiftly deployed, the delayed arrival of a single destroyer, HMS Dragon, to Cyprus underscored concerns about Britain's military preparedness. Former Nato secretary general George Robertson criticised Keir Starmer for showing a 'corrosive complacency towards defence', warning that this put the UK in peril. In response, ministers pointed to 'decades of underinvestment' by previous governments and announced plans for the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. The Ministry of Defence aims to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035. However, defence analysts argue that the UK's military has suffered from a 'lethal combination' of Treasury hostility to defence spending and the Ministry of Defence prioritising investment in ships and aircraft over the army. The British army has shrunk significantly since 1991, from 155,000 troops to 75,000 troops, with a reduction in armoured and infantry brigades. Defence experts, such as Ben Barry of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, blame this decline on inadequate resource allocation. Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, notes that the UK has a decent spread of reasonably modern capabilities but faces several problems, including a lack of mass and reliance on allies. 'We've cut a lot of corners and in many cases we rely on our allies. That means we're particularly reliant on the US and others in certain areas and it can come back to bite,' Savill added. Britain's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 is more ambitious than France's, but experts suggest that the UK can learn from France's approach. The UK's plans have been influenced by Poland's military transformation, which has seen defence spending rise to 4.8% of GDP, the highest among Nato countries.

Pakistan dispatched a mixed fleet of fighter and support aircraft to King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province on Saturday, marking the first visible military action under the mutual defence agreement signed in September 2025. The Saudi Ministry of Defence confirmed the landing, noting the deployment aligns with the collective defence clause that obliges each signatory to treat an attack on the other as an attack on itself. At the same time, Islamabad is hosting direct US‑Iran negotiations aimed at halting weeks of regional fighting triggered by Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Gulf targets after the US‑Israeli killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told reporters he personally warned Iranian leaders in early March that Pakistan must honour its obligations to Riyadh. Tehran, seeking assurances that Saudi soil would not be used for attacks against it, received such guarantees, Dar added. Despite these diplomatic overtures, Iranian attacks on Saudi facilities – including key bases and a US embassy building – have persisted. In early March, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, flew to Riyadh to discuss measures to curb Iranian strikes within the framework of the defence pact. Four days before the jet deployment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif phoned Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, pledging that Pakistan would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Saudi Arabia. The two leaders also agreed to accelerate a $5 billion Saudi investment package earmarked for Pakistan. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al‑Jadaan met Sharif, Dar and Munir in Islamabad on Saturday, underscoring the economic dimension of the partnership. Saudi Arabia hosts roughly 2.5 million Pakistani workers, whose remittances are vital to Pakistan’s fragile economy, and has repeatedly provided financial assistance. Security analyst Imtiaz Gul told Al Jazeera the deployment was not intended as a military escalation but as a “messaging tool” to remind Tehran of Pakistan’s treaty obligations. “Three jets won’t make much of a difference militarily,” he said, noting Saudi Arabia’s own sizable air force. Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, described the move as “a risky gambit.” He warned that if Iran refuses concessions, Pakistan could be drawn closer to Saudi Arabia, potentially invoking the defence pact in a renewed conflict.

President Donald Trump announced that the US military has successfully rescued a missing American fighter jet crew member from a remote part of Iran. The Air Force officer went missing after his F-15 jet was downed on Friday, with the pilot being quickly rescued, but a search had to be launched for the F-15's weapons systems officer. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump wrote that the US had rescued the second airman, described as 'seriously wounded, and really brave,' from 'deep inside the mountains of Iran.' A firefight between US and Iranian forces reportedly took place in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province before the rescue, though Iran has not confirmed this. The rescue mission involved two raids, with the pilot being rescued in 'broad daylight' during the second raid. Trump noted that the type of rescue mission that recovered him 'is seldom attempted because of the danger to man and equipment.' The operation reportedly involved dozens of aircraft carrying 'lethal weapons.' Iran had also been racing to locate the airman, with Tehran calling on the public to hand over the soldier to the authorities. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that Iranian forces had destroyed two C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the operation. This incident is part of a broader conflict that has resulted in the loss of 13 US service members and wounded over 300, according to the US military's Central Command. The US has lost several military assets, including three F-15 fighter jets in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait and a military refueling aircraft over Iraq.

The United States is expanding its military footprint in the Gulf as the US‑Israel war with Iran enters its second month. Since the Feb. 28 launch of Operation Epic Fury, a joint air campaign targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, more than four weeks of strikes have resulted in thousands of casualties.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of a third aircraft carrier, the USS George HW Bush, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently conducting daily combat sorties from the Arabian Sea, and the USS Gerald Ford, now under maintenance in Croatia.These carrier groups carry thousands of sailors, Marines and specialised support personnel, forming the core of the US’s power projection in the region.Carrier Strike Group (CSG) refers to an aircraft carrier plus its escort ships and support units that together function as a floating base. A typical CSG includes:An aircraft carrier60‑75 fighter jets and helicopters2‑4 Arleigh Burke‑class destroyersA guided‑missile cruiserA submarine for underwater protectionSupply shipsAs of April 1, the USS Abraham Lincoln remains the only carrier launching daily combat missions against Iranian targets, while the USS George HW Bush is en route and expected to eventually replace the Gerald Ford in the Mediterranean.Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) operates as a mini‑carrier, carrying US Marines and equipment for sea‑to‑land invasions. The USS Tripoli ARG arrived in the Middle East on March 27, and the USS Boxer ARG is expected to join the theater by mid‑April. An ARG typically comprises:Three specialised ships~2,200 Marines (a Marine Expeditionary Unit)Short‑takeoff aircraftLanding craft for beach assaultsThe key distinction: ARGs are built to land troops on shore, whereas CSGs are designed to project air power and conduct major naval warfare.A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is a rapid‑response, self‑contained force of 2,200‑2,500 Marine Corps personnel capable of combat and humanitarian missions. On Friday, US Central Command confirmed that 2,200 Marines from the 31st MEU arrived in Middle Eastern waters after departing Sasebo, Japan, on March 13. A second unit, the 11th MEU with roughly 2,500 Marines, is inbound after leaving San Diego on March 18.The Pentagon has also ordered about 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to move to the region, adding to the approximately 50,000 US troops already stationed in the Middle East.An MEU is organized into four elements:Command Element – ~200 personnel for planning and command‑and‑control.Ground Combat Element – ~1,200 troops centered on an infantry battalion with artillery and armoured vehicles.Aviation Combat Element – ~500 personnel operating transport helicopters, attack aircraft and Osprey tilt‑rotors.Logistics Combat Element – ~300 personnel providing up to 15 days of self‑sustainment, including medical, engineering and maintenance support.MEUs are typically deployed aboard a three‑ship ARG, which serves as a floating base. The ships include:Landing Helicopter Assault/Dock – a small carrier carrying short‑takeoff aircraft such as F‑35Bs and attack helicopters.Amphibious Transport Dock – a mid‑size vessel transporting troops and heavy vehicles.Dock Landing Ship – primarily for cargo and heavy equipment.MEUs can execute sea‑to‑land assaults, raids, evacuations, humanitarian aid and disaster‑relief operations, and they are often the first forces on the ground in emerging conflicts.The US Marine Corps maintains seven active MEUs; the 31st (Asia‑Pacific) and 11th (West Coast) are currently assigned to the Iran war. The other units are distributed as follows:East Coast: 22nd, 24th, 26th MEUWest Coast: 11th, 13th, 15th MEUAsia‑Pacific: 31st MEUTypically, three MEUs are forward‑positioned at any time, rotating through deployments in the Mediterranean, Gulf and Asia‑Pacific regions.Historically, MEUs have played pivotal roles in US operations: during the 2001 Afghanistan invasion, the 15th and 26th MEUs conducted one of the longest amphibious vertical insertions; in 2003‑2004 they helped secure Iraqi ports and fought in Fallujah; and in 2024 they provided sea‑based support for the attempted abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.