U.K. Military Stockpiles Food, Fuel, Ammo Ahead of Brexit: Sky

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Brexit is putting the U.K. military into a buying mode and filling up army warehouses.

The government is stockpiling food, fuel, spare parts and ammunition at U.K. military bases in Gibraltar, Cyprus, the Falklands as well as at U.K. sites to avoid supply disruptions in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Sky News reported. Military chiefs have spent at least 23 million pounds ($23 million) on “forward-purchased” goods, it said.

Operation Yellowhammer is aimed at keeping sailors, soldiers and pilots fed and equipped should the lack of a deal with the European Union after March 29 lead to shortages of key items, Sky reported.

“The Ministry of Defense routinely undertakes contingency planning, and it is absolutely right that the Government ensures we are prepared and resourced for a range of scenarios when we leave the EU. We are working closely with industry partners, key suppliers and across government to ensure that essential defense tasks would not be affected by a no-deal Brexit,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said Saturday by email.

“As part of wider contingency planning, we have forward-purchased a limited range of general commodities to ensure we can continue to function in the event of any supply chain disruption.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Irene García Pérez in London at igarciaperez@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, Steve Geimann

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