3 Commando Brigade

Sorry Robbie, I was replying to Sleepingbag and apparently you posted just as I did

Noted but the posts do tie in. 

The UK has seen it's assets cut to thread bare.

@sleepingbag.

There is the issue of technology surpassing requirement of numbers. Compare WWII bombing runs with modern sugical strikes. 

We have backup from NATO which makes up the numbers.
That said, the Americans still prefer to have us on board to be the scalpel to their broadsword. (Ground as well as air)

One thing that has been held in high esteem is our Special Forces and even our 'elite' units. (Read Para, Cdo and other specialist units, which would be termed special forces tier 2 in spamland).  With major cuts to our Army (hint, it's technically not an army any more. It's actually classed as a self defence force) the numbers required to select suitable personnel for SF has been massively diminished.

Add that to the reduced volunteers because AFG saw line infantry doing what was once the preserve of SF as part of their normal duties.

In short. The forces as a whole are going down the pan due to cuts and we can only rely on history for so long.