UK unveils plan for smaller, more high-tech armed forces

LONDON (AP) — Britain plans to cut the size of its army and boost spending on drones, robots and a new “cyber force” under defense plans announced by the government on Monday. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the British Army would shrink from 76,500 soldiers to 72,500 by 2025. He said the army had not been at its “established strength” of 82,500 for several years.  Wallace said new investment in equipment, infrastructure and technology “marks a shift from mass mobilization to information age speed, readiness and relevance for confronting the threats of the future.” Britain is the second-biggest military spender in NATO, after the United States.