In 2025, there were around 137,000 regular personnel serving in the British Armed Forces, compared with 138,000 in the previous year. In the first half of the twentieth century, there were two huge spikes in the number of active personnel which represented the final years of World War One and World War Two, numbering 4.58 million and 4.69 million in 1918 and 1945 respectively. Ever since 1945, the size of the regular armed forces has been in almost constant decline, with the noticeable exception of the early 1950s, when the number of active personnel increased by almost 200,000 because of the Korean War. The winds of change There are several reasons why the number of personnel in Britain’s armed forces has declined. Britain is involved in a far fewer conventional military conflicts today than it was in the past. As the size of Britain’s empire declined rapidly after 1945, so too did the UK's global military commitments. There are also more recent developments, such as the UK government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010, which outlined personnel would be cut throughout the 2010s to modernize the UK’s armed forces. Recent geopolitical events such as the War in Ukraine have, however, led to commitments from the UK government to spend more on defence, and eventually even a reversal of personnel cuts. Branches of the UK military There are three main branches of the UK armed forces, the British Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Marines. Of the 181,000 people serving in the UK’s armed forces in 2025, over half of them were in the British Army, which had around 109,000 personnel. The next largest branch was the Royal Navy at 37,900, followed by the RAF at 34,800 personnel. The average age for people serving in the armed forces was 31 in 2024, with the Royal Air Force having a slightly higher average age group than the other branches, at 33.

In 2024, the average age for personnel in the UK Armed Forces overall was 31 years old. The average age of those serving in the British Army was also 31, with the average age rising to 32 for the Royal Navy and Marines, and was 33 for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The average age for officers in the Armed Forces was 37, with this rising to 38 for officers in the Royal Air Force. Personnel falls to historical lows in 2024 Overall, there has been a long-term decline in the size of the armed forces, with the number of personnel declining from over 200,000 in 2000, to around 138,120 by 2024. In fact, the size of the armed forces has been in almost constant decline since the end of World War Two. Britain's retreat from its colonial empire throughout this period removed many of the UK's overseas commitments, with the end of the Cold War also leading to further cuts to personnel. Operational deaths since the Second World War Since 1945 there have been 7,193 operational deaths in the United Kingdom’s armed forces, with the deadliest year occurring in 1951 when there were 851 deaths. This was due to three separate conflicts: the Malayan Emergency, the 1951 Anglo-Egyptian War and the Korean War. Since 1959, there were only three years that had more than 100 operational deaths: 1972, 1973 and 1982. By comparison, between 2016 and 2024, there have been only nine operational deaths, with just one death reported throughout the whole of 2023.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.K. military size by year from 1985 to 2020.

As of 2024, there were estimated to be approximately 4,223 nuclear warheads belonging to three NATO allies, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The majority of these belonged to the United States, which had 3,708 nuclear warheads.

In 2024, people aged between 25 and 29 were the most common age group in the armed forces of the United Kingdom, at 27,580 personnel. By contrast, there were just 100 active personnel that were aged sixty or over.

In April 2024, 13.1% of people in non-officer roles in the armed forces were from ethnic minorities, compared with 7.9% in April 2012.

In 2025, there were approximately 181,000 personnel in the armed forces of the United Kingdom, 109,170 of which were in the British Army, 37,900 in the Royal Navy and 34,830 in the Royal Air Force. Regular personnel at historical lows in 2025 Overall, there has been a long-term decline in the size of the armed forces, with the number of personnel declining from over 200,000 in 2000, to around 137,000 by 2025. In fact, the size of the armed forces has been in almost constant decline since the end of the Second World War. Britain's retreat from its colonial empire throughout this period removed many of the UK's overseas commitments, with the end of the Cold War also leading to further cuts to personnel. This has also corresponded with cuts in defence spending, which fell from 4.6 percent of GDP in the mid-1980s, to just 1.8 percent in the late 2010s Operational deaths since the Second World War Since 1945, there have been 7,193 operational deaths in the United Kingdom’s armed forces, with the deadliest year occurring in 1951 when there were 851 deaths. This was due to three separate conflicts: the Malayan Emergency, the 1951 Anglo-Egyptian War and the Korean War. Since 1959, there were only three years that had more than 100 operational deaths: 1972, 1973 and 1982. By comparison, between 2016 and 2024, there have been only nine operational deaths, with just one death reported since 2023.

A substantial amount of research has been conducted into the mental health of the UK military in recent years. This article summarises the results of the various studies and offers possible explanations for differences in findings between the UK and other allied nations. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates are perhaps surprisingly low amongst British forces, with prevalence rates of around 4% in personnel who have deployed, rising to 6% in combat troops, despite the high tempo of operations in recent years. The rates in personnel currently on operations are consistently lower than these. Explanations for the lower PTSD prevalence in British troops include variations in combat exposures, demographic differences, higher leader to enlisted soldier ratios, shorter operational tour lengths and differences in access to long-term health care between countries. Delayed-onset PTSD was recently found to be more common than previously supposed, accounting for nearly half of all PTSD cases; however, many of these had sub-syndromal PTSD predating the onset of the full disorder. Rates of common mental health disorders in UK troops are similar or higher to those of the general population, and overall operational deployments are not associated with an increase in mental health problems in UK regular forces. However, there does appear to be a correlation between both deployment and increased alcohol misuse and post-deployment violence in combat troops. Unlike for regular forces, there is an overall association between deployment and mental health problems in Reservists. There have been growing concerns regarding mild traumatic brain injury, though this appears to be low in British troops with an overall prevalence of 4.4% in comparison with 15% in the US military. The current strategies for detection and treatment of mental health problems in British forces are also described. The stance of the UK military is that psychological welfare of troops is primarily a chain of command responsibility, aided by medical advice when necessary, and to this end uses third location decompression, stress briefings, and Trauma Risk Management approaches. Outpatient treatment is provided by Field Mental Health Teams and military Departments of Community Mental Health, whilst inpatient care is given in specific NHS hospitals.

The European defense industry, a significant player in the global landscape, is projected to experience moderate growth over the forecast period (2025-2033). While the provided CAGR of 0.04 suggests a relatively slow expansion, this figure likely underrepresents the dynamism within specific segments and nations. Factors such as geopolitical instability, particularly the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and increased defense spending by several European nations are expected to stimulate growth in certain areas, such as armament and terrestrial platforms. The market is segmented by equipment type (Personnel Training and Protection, Communication, Armament, Transport) and platform (Terrestrial, Aerial, Naval), presenting diverse investment opportunities. Growth within the armament segment is anticipated to be particularly strong, driven by increased demand for advanced weaponry and modernization efforts across European armed forces. Conversely, segments like personnel training and protection might see slower growth, potentially due to existing infrastructure and established training programs. Regional variations are expected, with countries like the UK, Germany, and France maintaining significant market shares, while other nations might exhibit higher growth rates due to specific national security concerns or modernization programs. Competition within the industry is fierce, with major players like Thales, Rheinmetall, and BAE Systems vying for market share. The industry's future trajectory depends on ongoing geopolitical developments, technological advancements, and the budgetary priorities of individual European nations. The influence of key industry players like Thales, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus SE significantly shapes the market dynamics. These companies leverage their technological expertise and established supply chains to secure contracts and drive innovation. The market's growth is also influenced by government policies and regulatory frameworks concerning defense procurement, technological advancements (particularly in areas such as AI and autonomous systems), and the shifting global security landscape. The integration of new technologies is expected to drive growth in certain areas, potentially offsetting the slower overall CAGR. Furthermore, the ongoing emphasis on cybersecurity within defense systems presents both a challenge and opportunity for companies to innovate and secure market share. The ability to adapt to evolving threats and technological advancements will be critical for success in this dynamic and competitive sector. This report provides a detailed analysis of the European defense industry, covering the period from 2019 to 2033, with a focus on the current market landscape and future growth prospects. The study examines market size, trends, key players, and emerging technologies, offering valuable insights for stakeholders across the sector. Our comprehensive analysis includes historical data (2019-2024), estimates for 2025, and forecasts spanning 2025-2033, with 2025 as the base year. Recent developments include: September 2023: A consortium of European defense manufacturers led by Indra Sistemas S.A. launched work on an electronic warfare capability for the European Union to protect friendly aircraft against missile attacks. According to a European Defence Fund fact sheet, the Responsive Electronic Attack for Cooperative Tasks (REACT) program is intended to develop a system capable of jamming any signals used for targeting European aircraft while being able to turn off adversary electronic warfare emitters., June 2023: The UK Royal Air Force received two F-35B Lightning II stealth multirole combat aircraft from Lockheed Martin. The marked delivery is part of a contract order for 48 F-35Bs for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Along with this contract, in April 2023, a USD 225-million support agreement was awarded to Lockheed Martin to sustain the British F-35 fleet’s operability.. Notable trends are: The Naval Segment Will Showcase Remarkable Growth During the Forecast Period.

This dataset provides information on where UK armed forces veterans lived: usual residents, aged 16 years and over by whether they have previously served in the UK armed forces in England and Wales.

Child family status

Identifies whether a person is living in a family with a child and has specific categories for those who have children based on the relationship of the parent couple, those not in a family and those who are children in a family are grouped together. Categories were: • has children (in a lone parent family, married couple family, civil partnership family or cohabiting couple family) • does not have children or is a child within a family • living in a communal establishment

Dependent Child

A dependent child is a person aged 0 to 15 years in a household or a person aged 16 to 18 years who is in full-time education and lives in a family with their parent, parents, grandparent or grandparents. It does not include any person aged 16 to 18 years who has a spouse, partner or child living in the household

Ethnic group and high-level ethnic group

The ethnic group that the person completing the census feels they belong to. This could be based on their culture, family background, identity or physical appearance. Respondents could choose one out of 19 tick-box response categories, including write-in response options. High-level ethnic group refers to the first stage of the two-stage ethnic group question. High-level groups refer to the first stage where the respondent identifies through one of the following options: "Asian, Asian British, Asian Welsh" "Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African" "Mixed or Multiple" "White" "Other ethnic group"

Family

A family is a group of people who are either: • married, civil partnered or cohabiting couple with or without children (the children do not need to belong to both members of the couple) • a lone parent with children • a married, civil partnered or cohabiting couple with grandchildren but where the parents of those grandchildren are not present • a single or couple grandparent with grandchildren but where the parents of those grandchildren are not present

Family status

Denotes whether a person is considered to be in a family and the place a person holds within that family. Categories were: • not in a family • in a couple family (as a member of the couple or a dependent or non-dependent child of one or both members of the couple) • in a lone parent family (as a parent or a dependent or non-dependent child of the parent) • living in a communal establishment

Household

A household is defined as one person living alone or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address who share cooking facilities and a living room or dining area. This includes all sheltered accommodation units in an establishment and all people living in caravans on any type of site that is their usual residence. A household must contain at least one person whose place of usual residence is at the address. A group of short-term residents living together is not classified as a household, and neither is a group of people at an address where only visitors are staying.

Household size

The number of people in the household. Visitors staying at an address do not count to that household’s size. Living arrangements This classification combines responses to the Census question on marital and civil partnership status with information about whether or not a person is living in a couple. This topic is only applicable to people in households. Living arrangements differs from marital and civil partnership status because cohabiting takes priority over other categories. For example, if a person is divorced and cohabiting, then in results for living arrangements they are classified as cohabiting.

UK armed forces veteran

People who have previously served in the UK armed forces. This includes those who have served for at least one day in HM’s Armed Forces, either regular or reserves, or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations. It does not include those who have left and since re-entered the regular or reserve UK armed forces, those who have only served in foreign armed forces, or those who have served in the UK armed forces and are currently living outside of England and Wales.

Usual resident

A usual resident is anyone who on Census Day, 21 March 2021, was in the UK and had stayed or intended to stay in the UK for a period of 12 months or more, or had a permanent UK address and was outside the UK and intended to be outside the UK for less than 12 months.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify households in England and Wales by the number of people in the household who have previously served in the UK armed forces. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

This does not include people who are currently serving in the UK armed forces.

Many who have previously served in the UK armed forces will be older males because of National Service. We applied extra quality assurance to correct some answers from currently serving personnel.

Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower Tier Local Authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. In England there are 309 lower tier local authorities. These are made up of non-metropolitan districts (181), unitary authorities (59), metropolitan districts (36) and London boroughs (33, including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities. Of these local authority types, only non-metropolitan districts are not additionally classified as upper tier local authorities.

UK armed forces veteran indicator

Identifies people who have previously served in the UK armed forces. This includes those who have served for at least one day in armed forces, either regular or reserves, or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.

In 2023/24, the United Kingdom spent approximately 56.8 billion British pounds on defense, compared with 55.5 billion pounds in the previous year. This was the highest defense spending for the UK during this provided time period. NATO and the two percent pledge The UK is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military and political alliance initiated on the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Members of NATO are expected to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense, a target which the United Kingdom just missed between 2015/16 and 2020/21. Before 2016, the United Kingdom’s defense spending was always above this target and was higher than three percent of GDP before the mid-1990s. As of 2022/23, UK defense spending was slightly above this target, at 2.2 percent of GDP, with plans to increase it to three percent in the future. The UK and the War in Ukraine The recent pledge to increase UK defense spending is clearly linked to recent events in Europe. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 completely altered the European security landscape for the UK. Along with a coalition of other countries, the UK has been one of the key backers of the Ukrainian military effort, providing significant military aid over the course of the war. Apart from financial aid, the UK has provided Ukraine with equipment such as the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, a number of armored fighting vehicles, and missiles, including long-range Storm Shadow cruise-missiles.

The United Kingdom defence industry, valued at approximately £64.55 billion in 2025, is projected to experience steady growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.12% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is fueled by several key drivers. Firstly, geopolitical instability and evolving global security threats are prompting increased government investment in defence capabilities. Secondly, technological advancements, particularly in areas like unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber warfare, are driving demand for sophisticated weaponry and equipment. Finally, a focus on modernizing existing equipment and replacing aging assets within the Army, Navy, and Air Force contributes significantly to market expansion. The industry is segmented into various categories including fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, ground vehicles, naval vessels, C4ISR systems, weapons and ammunition, protection and training equipment, and unmanned systems. Major players like BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus are significant contributors, leveraging their expertise and technological prowess to secure contracts and maintain their market share. While the industry faces some restraints, such as budgetary constraints and procurement complexities, the overall outlook remains positive, indicating strong growth potential in the coming years. The UK government’s commitment to defence spending and the continuous need for technological upgrades ensures the continued vibrancy of the UK Defence sector. The substantial market size underscores the UK's significant role in global defence. The segmentation reflects the diversity of the industry, encompassing land, sea, and air domains. The presence of prominent global players highlights the competitive landscape and the UK's attractiveness as a defence market. While challenges exist, the long-term projections suggest a trajectory of sustainable growth, driven by technological innovation and evolving geopolitical factors. The industry's adaptability and the government’s commitment to national security will likely drive further expansion, bolstering the UK's position as a key player in global defence. Further analysis of specific segments, like unmanned systems and cyber security, would reveal deeper insights into specific growth trajectories. Recent developments include: March 2024: The UK signed a contract worth USD 700 million with a defense shipbuilder, Babcock, for a major refit of HMS Victorious, one of Britain's four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines., November 2023: The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed a new USD 25 million order with BAE Systems to supply additional small arms munitions over the next two years.. Notable trends are: The Navy is Expected to Witness the Highest Growth During the Forecast Period.

In 2024, there were no operational deaths in the British Armed Forces, compared with one in 2023. Since 1945, the deadliest year for British Armed Forces was 1951 when there were 851 operational deaths. This was due to three separate conflicts: the Malayan Emergency, the 1951 Anglo-Egyptian War and the Korean War. Between 1959 and 2009 there were only three years that had more than 100 operational deaths: 1972, 1973 and 1982. The spike in deaths in the early 1970s were the result of the political violence in Northern Ireland at the time, and 237 of the 297 deaths in 1982 happened during the Falklands War. Over this period, there have been a total of 7,193 British military deaths in conflicts. Size of armed forces at a historic low in 2024 The British Armed Forces are composed of three main separate branches, the British Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force. Of these branches, the British Army has more personnel than the other two combined at around 75,300. The Royal Navy and Marines had 32,000 personnel, while the Royal Air Force had 30,800 active personnel. This was the fewest number of personnel in modern times, and is partly explained by previous modernization efforts, which sought to de-emphasize the importance of a large army based on manpower in favor of a more advanced one based on technology. Long-term defense cuts   These cutbacks in personnel are also a result of the UK government spending far less on defense than it used to. In 1984, for example, the UK spent around 5.5 percent of GDP on defense, compared with just 2.3 percent in 2021. The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s made it difficult to justify 1980s-levels of military spending during this time period, along with the UK having far fewer overseas commitments than in the past. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, however, looks set to reverse this trend, with many NATO allies pledging to increase their defense budgets in light of the new geopolitical situation.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales who have previously served in the UK armed forces by their general health. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Many who have previously served in the UK armed forces will be older males because of National Service. We applied extra quality assurance to correct some answers from currently serving personnel. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

UK armed forces veteran indicator

Identifies people who have previously served in the UK armed forces. This includes those who have served for at least one day in armed forces, either regular or reserves, or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.

General health

A person's assessment of the general state of their health from very good to very bad. This assessment is not based on a person's health over any specified period of time.

BackgroundThere are comparatively few international studies investigating suicide in military veterans and no recent UK–wide studies. This is important because the wider context of being a UK Armed Forces (UKAF) veteran has changed in recent years following a period of intensive operations. We aimed to investigate the rate, timing, and risk factors for suicide in personnel who left the UKAF over a 23–year period.Methods and findingsWe carried out a retrospective cohort study of suicide in personnel who left the regular UKAF between 1996 and 2018 linking national databases of discharged personnel and suicide deaths, using survival analysis to examine the risk of suicide in veterans compared to the general population and conditional logistic regression to investigate factors most strongly associated with suicide after discharge. The 458,058 individuals who left the UKAF accumulated over 5,852,100 person years at risk, with a median length of follow–up of 13 years, were mostly male (91%), and had a median age of 26 years at discharge. 1,086 (0.2%) died by suicide. The overall rate of suicide in veterans was slightly lower than the general population (standardised mortality ratio, SMR [95% confidence interval, CI] 94 [88 to 99]). However, suicide risk was 2 to 3 times higher in male and female veterans aged under 25 years than in the same age groups in the general population (age–specific mortality ratios ranging from 160 to 409). Male veterans aged 35 years and older were at reduced risk of suicide (age–specific mortality ratios 47 to 80). Male sex, Army service, discharge between the ages of 16 and 34 years, being untrained on discharge, and length of service under 10 years were associated with higher suicide risk. Factors associated with reduced risk included being married, a higher rank, and deployment on combat operations. The rate of contact with specialist NHS mental health services (273/1,086, 25%) was lowest in the youngest age groups (10% for 16– to 19–year–olds; 23% for 20– to 24–year–olds). Study limitations include the fact that information on veterans was obtained from administrative databases and the role of pre–service vulnerabilities and other factors that may have influenced later suicide risk could not be explored. In addition, information on contact with support services was only available for veterans in contact with specialist NHS mental health services and not for those in contact with other health and social care services.ConclusionsIn this study, we found suicide risk in personnel leaving the UKAF was not high but there are important differences according to age, with higher risk in young men and women. We found a number of factors which elevated the risk of suicide but deployment was associated with lower risk. The focus should be on improving and maintaining access to mental health care and social support for young service leavers, as well as implementing general suicide prevention measures for all veterans regardless of age.

The European defense logistics market, valued at approximately $29.27 billion in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, driven by increasing defense budgets across major European nations, modernization of military infrastructure, and a heightened focus on operational readiness. The market's Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.87% from 2025 to 2033 indicates a consistent expansion, fueled by geopolitical instability and the need for efficient and secure transportation of military equipment and personnel. Key growth segments include armament logistics, which benefits from ongoing investments in advanced weaponry, and technical support and maintenance, reflecting the complexities of modern military technology. Roadways currently dominate the transportation mode segment, but a gradual shift towards airways and railways is expected to improve speed and efficiency, especially for time-sensitive deployments. While the market faces restraints such as stringent regulations and potential supply chain disruptions, the overall outlook remains positive, largely driven by sustained government expenditure on defense and a complex logistical network in place for efficient movement of goods and forces. The diverse end-user segments—army, navy, and air force—all contribute significantly to the market's size and growth. The UK, Germany, and France are expected to be the largest national markets within Europe, owing to their substantial defense budgets and active participation in international military operations. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of established global logistics providers and specialized defense logistics companies, leading to both consolidation and innovative solutions within the sector. The increasing adoption of technology, such as advanced tracking systems and data analytics, is further enhancing the efficiency and security of defense logistics operations throughout Europe. This technological advancement is enhancing transparency, reducing logistical bottlenecks, and improving overall response times, impacting the efficiency of logistical operations across the European defense landscape. Recent developments include: October 2023: The global logistics provider Scan Global Logistics (SGL) strengthens its position within government and defense by the acquisition of Portuguese logistics company FLS (Freight & Logistics Solutions). Portugal is an important gateway to South America and regions in Africa and completes the SGL’s footprint on the Iberic Peninsula. With the acquisition of FLS, SGL is now represented in 49 countries worldwide., May 2023: Greece's top technological defense business, INTRACOM DEFENCE (IDE), will be acquired by IAI. The production of missile launchers, missile subsystems, tactical communications for land and sea, hybrid generation, and other items is IDE's area of expertise. The business operates in Greece and other NATO nations, and it collaborates with top defense firms in the US and Europe. In order to address the problems that the countries of Europe are facing, IDE will be integrated into IAI's business operations in Greece and throughout Europe. Greek clients of the business will continue to gain from its independence with the present acquisition, in addition to a more extensive array of services for new markets.. Key drivers for this market are: Humanitarian and disaster relief operations driving the market, Efforts of Mordernization enhancing the market. Potential restraints include: Humanitarian and disaster relief operations driving the market, Efforts of Mordernization enhancing the market. Notable trends are: Use of advanced technologies in Military.

The Military Simulation Virtual Training Market encompasses a diverse array of sophisticated training simulators and software designed to meet the complex and evolving needs of modern militaries. This includes high-fidelity flight simulators for aircrew training, encompassing everything from basic flight maneuvers to complex aerial combat scenarios. Ground forces benefit from immersive combat simulators that replicate diverse operational environments and tactical situations, fostering realistic training experiences. Naval forces utilize specialized simulators for ship and submarine operations, enhancing crew proficiency in navigation, damage control, and anti-submarine warfare. Beyond these platform-specific simulators, the market also includes crucial simulation software for mission planning, improving situational awareness, and facilitating effective tactical decision-making through advanced wargaming and virtual exercises. Recent developments include: In January 2023, SimCentric announced that the Australian Army has licensed its virtual reality training technology, SAF-TAC. Funded by DASA, SAF-TAC can help armed forces improve various key skills in a realistic and immersive environment. Built on the commercial gaming engine, Unreal Engine 4, SAF-TAC uses state-of-the-art gaming technology to provide cost-effective and highly engaging training., On Nov.14, 2022, The US Air Force (USAF) awarded a research and development contract to a medical device manufacturing firm, SimX, for virtual reality medical simulation training. Under the contract terms, SimX will produce an enhanced VR medical simulation training program. SimX will also modify its existing VR medical simulation technology to develop a platform that ensures enhanced flexibility and repeatability for tactical combat casualty care., On Jul. 20, 2022, BAE Systems and VR simulation company VRAI announced a collaboration to explore the next generation of training for military forces, harnessing the power of VR and AI. At the Farnborough International Airshow, these companies announced that they are working together to develop a single synthetic solution to enable air, land, sea, space, and cyber forces to plug in & train together in one virtual world., On Feb. 04, 2019, The British Army awarded a new contract to Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) to lead a pilot program examining VR's potential for defense training. BISim is a global developer of advanced military simulation and training software. Under the contract, BISim will use virtual reality, ML, and cloud computing for the Army's Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP)., The VRLT Programme will likely help make recommendations on the VR impact, affordability, innovation, and exploitation for UK defense training. The VR In-Land Training (VRLT) Pilot Program is a British Army-led CTTP initiative to explore the use of VR for collective land warfare training and identify its potential benefits and effectiveness for military training and simulation.. Key drivers for this market are: Increasing demand for enhanced training capabilities and improved soldier readiness. Advancements in VR, AI, and other enabling technologies.. Potential restraints include: High cost of development and deployment of advanced simulation systems. Integration challenges with legacy training systems.. Notable trends are: Increasing use of gamification and game-based training to improve engagement and motivation. Development of augmented reality (AR) training systems for enhanced situational awareness and performance..

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales who have previously served in the UK armed forces by their general health. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

Many who have previously served in the UK armed forces will be older males because of National Service. We applied extra quality assurance to correct some answers from currently serving personnel. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. Data are also available in these geographic types:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

UK armed forces veteran indicator

Identifies people who have previously served in the UK armed forces. This includes those who have served for at least one day in armed forces, either regular or reserves, or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.

General health

A person's assessment of the general state of their health from very good to very bad. This assessment is not based on a person's health over any specified period of time.