Key facts
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new 10-year Defence Investment Plan.
- The plan commits nearly £300 billion (€348 billion) over the next four years to modernize the UK's armed forces.
- This represents an additional £15 billion (€17 billion) in funding.
- Over £5 billion (€5.8 billion) will be invested in drones and autonomous systems.
- The UK aims to reach NATO's defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a significant increase in defence spending, committing nearly £300 billion (€348 billion) over the next four years as part of a new 10-year Defence Investment Plan. This represents an additional £15 billion (€17 billion) in funding, achieved by reprioritizing spending across government.
The plan aims to modernize the UK's armed forces in response to rising global threats, particularly from Russia, and seeks to reverse years of military decline. A key focus of the investment will be on drones and autonomous systems, with over £5 billion (€5.8 billion) allocated to this area over the next four years. The UK military is also working towards NATO's target of increasing defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035.
The announcement follows internal government wrangling over resources, which led to the resignations of Defence Secretary John Healey and junior Defence Minister Al Carns. Healey stated that the spending plans risked making Britain "less safe." Starmer, who is expected to leave office next month, framed the decision as essential for national and economic security, drawing parallels to the transformative impact of drones in the Ukraine conflict.
Opposition parties criticized the plan, with Conservative defence spokesperson James Cartlidge calling it "too little, too late" and suggesting it was rushed for Starmer's legacy. Starmer is likely to attend a NATO summit in Turkey in early July, which may be one of his final acts as prime minister. His successor will face pressure to uphold the commitments outlined in the defence plan.