{
  "schema_version": "1.0.0",
  "title": "UK Armed Forces July strength comparisons: 2017-2026",
  "scope": "Historical annual July snapshots re-presented from official MOD rounded Table 1 headlines; not a live series or recruitment acceptance probability.",
  "release": {
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "editorialReviewed": "2026-10-16",
    "first": "2017-07-01",
    "last": "2026-07-01",
    "isLiveFeed": false,
    "licence": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/"
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "mod-2020-july",
      "name": "MOD Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics: 1 July 2020",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2020/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-1-july-2020",
      "vintage": "2020-12-17",
      "table": "Table 1: Trends in UK Forces Strength",
      "precision": "nearest-10",
      "note": "Used for July 2017 and July 2018; vintage and rounding can differ from later revisions."
    },
    {
      "id": "mod-2022-july",
      "name": "MOD Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics: 1 July 2022",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2022/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-1-july-2022",
      "vintage": "2022-12-15",
      "table": "Table 1: Trends in UK Forces Strength",
      "precision": "nearest-10",
      "note": "Used for July 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; these are printed historical rounded summaries."
    },
    {
      "id": "mod-2026-july",
      "name": "MOD Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics: 1 July 2026 (revised)",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2026/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-1-july-2026",
      "vintage": "2026-09-23",
      "table": "Table 1: Trends in UK Armed Forces Strength",
      "precision": "nearest-10",
      "note": "Used for July 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 from the revised September 2026 publication."
    }
  ],
  "services": {
    "all": "All UK Armed Forces",
    "navy": "Royal Navy and Royal Marines",
    "army": "British Army",
    "raf": "Royal Air Force"
  },
  "measures": {
    "total": "Total reported UK Forces personnel (includes Gurkhas and other categories)",
    "regular": "UK Regular Forces personnel (excludes Gurkhas and Volunteer Reserves)",
    "reserve": "Volunteer Reserve personnel (not necessarily trained reserve strength)"
  },
  "observations": [
    {
      "date": "2017-07-01",
      "year": 2017,
      "source": "mod-2020-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 196000,
        "regular": 148080,
        "reserve": 36710
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 38450,
        "regular": 32460,
        "reserve": 3600
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 120620,
        "regular": 82610,
        "reserve": 30310
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 36930,
        "regular": 33010,
        "reserve": 2810
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2018-07-01",
      "year": 2018,
      "source": "mod-2020-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 192380,
        "regular": 145130,
        "reserve": 36250
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 38410,
        "regular": 32380,
        "reserve": 3660
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 116940,
        "regular": 79900,
        "reserve": 29600
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 37030,
        "regular": 32850,
        "reserve": 3000
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2019-07-01",
      "year": 2019,
      "source": "mod-2022-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 191660,
        "regular": 143780,
        "reserve": 36680
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 38770,
        "regular": 32470,
        "reserve": 3900
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 115750,
        "regular": 78480,
        "reserve": 29680
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 37130,
        "regular": 32830,
        "reserve": 3100
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2020-07-01",
      "year": 2020,
      "source": "mod-2022-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 193460,
        "regular": 144750,
        "reserve": 37150
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 39420,
        "regular": 33050,
        "reserve": 3950
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 116800,
        "regular": 78880,
        "reserve": 30020
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 37240,
        "regular": 32820,
        "reserve": 3180
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2021-07-01",
      "year": 2021,
      "source": "mod-2022-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 198800,
        "regular": 149230,
        "reserve": 37290
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 40640,
        "regular": 34040,
        "reserve": 4130
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 120180,
        "regular": 81820,
        "reserve": 29880
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 37980,
        "regular": 33370,
        "reserve": 3280
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2022-07-01",
      "year": 2022,
      "source": "mod-2022-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 193890,
        "regular": 146270,
        "reserve": 35240
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 39860,
        "regular": 33750,
        "reserve": 3670
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 116340,
        "regular": 79380,
        "reserve": 28330
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 37690,
        "regular": 33140,
        "reserve": 3240
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2023-07-01",
      "year": 2023,
      "source": "mod-2026-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 185980,
        "regular": 140300,
        "reserve": 33210
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 38220,
        "regular": 32360,
        "reserve": 3370
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 111650,
        "regular": 76220,
        "reserve": 26760
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 36110,
        "regular": 31710,
        "reserve": 3080
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2024-07-01",
      "year": 2024,
      "source": "mod-2026-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 181320,
        "regular": 136520,
        "reserve": 32140
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 37330,
        "regular": 31670,
        "reserve": 3210
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 109090,
        "regular": 74300,
        "reserve": 25930
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 34900,
        "regular": 30560,
        "reserve": 3000
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2025-07-01",
      "year": 2025,
      "source": "mod-2026-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 180780,
        "regular": 136030,
        "reserve": 31780
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 37680,
        "regular": 31990,
        "reserve": 3170
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 108180,
        "regular": 73490,
        "reserve": 25640
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 34920,
        "regular": 30550,
        "reserve": 2960
      }
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-01",
      "year": 2026,
      "source": "mod-2026-july",
      "all": {
        "total": 182980,
        "regular": 137480,
        "reserve": 32130
      },
      "navy": {
        "total": 38230,
        "regular": 32430,
        "reserve": 3260
      },
      "army": {
        "total": 108780,
        "regular": 73660,
        "reserve": 25780
      },
      "raf": {
        "total": 35980,
        "regular": 31390,
        "reserve": 3100
      }
    }
  ],
  "methodological_limits": [
    "The annual data select exactly one observed July date per year, not all intervening months.",
    "Tables published in 2020, 2022 and September 2026 are different statistical vintages; later revisions may supersede older counts.",
    "Values are published rounded historical data and service subtotals may differ from published totals.",
    "Strength, rolling recruitment flow and applications are separate statistical definitions and cohorts."
  ]
}