Chapter 2 - Personnel
                         
Table 2.9 Full-time trained strength1 and requirement at 1 April each year
  2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008  
All Services                        
                         
   Officers                        
      Requirement 30 280   30 730   30 970   30 070   29 840   29 070  
      Strength2 30 380   30 740   30 670   30 380   30 070 p 29 580 p
      Surplus/Deficit 90   10   - 300   310   230 p 500 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 0.3   -   -1.0   1.0   0.8 p 1.7 p
   Other Ranks                        
      Requirement 164 850   164 620   160 120   155 850   153 770   150 190  
      Strength2 158 140   159 450   157 380   152 800   147 750 p 144 380 p
      Surplus/Deficit -6 710   -5 160   -2 740   -3 050   -6 020 p -5 810 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -4.1   -3.1   -1.7   -2.0   -3.9 p -3.9 p
                         
Naval Service                        
                         
   Officers                        
      Requirement 6 860   6 940   6 980   6 830   6 840   6 670  
      Strength2 6 790   6 900   6 880   6 800   6 800   6 630 p
      Surplus/Deficit - 80   - 40   - 100   - 30   - 50   - 40 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -1.1   -0.6   -1.5   -0.4   -0.7   -0.7 p
   Other Ranks                        
      Requirement 31 640   31 780   31 210   30 000   29 960   29 590  
      Strength2 30 820   30 610   29 520   28 820   28 120   28 440 p
      Surplus/Deficit - 820   -1 170   -1 690   -1 190   -1 830   -1 150 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -2.6   -3.7   -5.4   -4.0   -6.1   -3.9 p
                         
Army                        
                         
   Officers                        
      Requirement 13 760   13 710   13 860   13 350   13 350   13 480  
      Strength2 13 730   13 940   14 020   14 150   14 260 p 14 210 p
      Surplus/Deficit - 30   230   170   800   900 p 730 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -0.2   1.7   1.2   6.0   6.8 p 5.4 p
   Other Ranks                        
      Requirement 93 220   93 020   90 320   88 450   88 450   88 320  
      Strength2 88 270   89 610   88 420   86 470   85 090 p 84 060 p
      Surplus/Deficit -4 940   -3 410   -1 900   -1 980   -3 350 p -4 260 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -5.3   -3.7   -2.1   -2.2   -3.8 p -4.8 p
                         
Royal Air Force                        
                         
   Officers                        
      Requirement 9 650   10 070   10 140   9 890   9 640   8 920  
      Strength2 9 850   9 890   9 770   9 430   9 020   8 740 p
      Surplus/Deficit 200   - 180   - 370   - 460   - 620   - 180 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 2.1   -1.8   -3.6   -4.7   -6.5   -2.0 p
   Other Ranks                        
      Requirement 39 990   39 820   38 590   37 400   35 370   32 290  
      Strength2 39 040   39 230   39 440   37 510   34 530   31 880 p
      Surplus/Deficit - 950   - 590   850   120   - 840   - 410 p
      Surplus/Deficit as percentage of requirement3 -2.4   -1.5   2.2   0.3   -2.4   -1.3 p
Source: DASA (Quad-Service)
1.  The Full Time Trained Strength comprises Trained UK Regular Forces, Trained Gurkhas and FTRS (Full Time Reserve Service) personnel. It does not include      mobilised reservists.
2.  FTRS Strength figures include Full Commitment (FC), Home Commitment (HC) and Limited Commitment (LC) individuals. For the RAF, FC individuals serve      against the regular requirement whilst HC and LC individuals fill posts specifically for FTRS personnel. All Naval Service and Army FTRS personnel serve      against the regular requirement. See Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations for further information.
3.  Percentages are calculated from unrounded data.
Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, Army strength statistics for 1 April 2007 and 1 April 2008, and Naval Service and RAF strength statistics for 1 April 2008 are provisional and subject to review.