The UK Ministry of Defence has revealed that 13,113 members of the British Armed Forces are currently unfit for frontline service.
The data, compiled as of September 2025, classifies these personnel as Medically Not Deployable or MND, a designation that prevents them from serving in combat zones.
This amounts to roughly one in ten active service members in the British military, according to local media.
Muscle and Mind
Defence Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said that about 5,376 affected personnel, or about 43 percent of MNDs, suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, including broken bones, ligament damage, and other physical injuries.
Another 2,747 troops, which accounts for about 22 percent and the second-largest group, have been diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders.
Other medical categories cited in the report include digestive system disorders, hearing problems, circulatory, and tissue conditions. Only 16 women were classified as non-deployable due to pregnancy.
Additional data showed smaller proportions of cases linked to metabolic diseases, as well as nervous system disorders, while respiratory, skin, and vision conditions each accounted for around 1 percent or less of the total.
The data, drawn from the Defence Medical Information Capability Program, was converted into International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes for consistency.
Fit for Exercises, Not Combat
The defense agency clarified that personnel graded as MND “are not fit to deploy on operations; however, they may be deployable on UK-based exercises.”
It added that some individuals listed as MND “may not have been scheduled to deploy and the medical condition may not have prevented deployment.”
Call for Change
Col. Phil Ingram, a former British Army intelligence officer, told The Sun that the figures underscore ongoing staffing challenges across the armed forces.
“The number of personnel not able to deploy or with limited deployability adds to the woes of the armed forces who are badly under strength,” he said.
“Retaining people who can not deploy is not a sensible answer unless that category is only temporary. The time has come for radical thinking and proper operationally focused leadership.”
