LONDON (AP) 鈥� Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the center of Britain鈥檚 future military under announced Tuesday that includes a 15 billion pound ($20 billion) spending boost.
Like other NATO countries, the U.K. is under pressure to increase defense spending to counter a more aggressive Russia and less reliable United States. But its Defense Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials .
said the plan reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology and will keep Britain safe in 鈥渁 more dangerous and volatile world.”
鈥淲hen the world is arming and aggression is rising, the best way to avoid war is to prepare for it,” he said.
But the blueprint does not commit to spending 3% of U.K. GDP on defense by 2030, one of the factors that spurred to resign as U.K. defense secretary on June 11. Healey accused the government of underspending on the military at a time of 鈥渞ising threats,” citing a British intelligence assessment that Russia could attack a NATO member country by 2030.
In the House of Commons on Tuesday, Healey said that 鈥渨ith European security at stake,鈥� Britain needs “to develop a clear, credible funding plan that will hit 3% and that will meet our NATO commitment of 3.5% by 2035.”
Starmer said Healey鈥檚 successor, Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis, had worked to 鈥渟harpen and strengthen” the plan. Its 15 billion pounds in new spending is more than the 13.5 billion pounds ($18 billion) Healey was offered by the Treasury, but far less than the 28 billion pounds ($37 billion) that defense officials had called for.
UK faces pressure to hit NATO target
Under the plan, defense spending will hit 2.7% of GDP by 2029. Starmer said the 3% target will be reached 鈥渋n the next Parliament,鈥� a period that could extend to 2034. The U.K. remains committed to hitting NATO鈥檚 3.5% target by 2035, though it’s unclear how it will get there.
The government said the new funding will boost spending on defense to almost 300 billion pounds ($400 billion) over the next four years. Big-ticket items include 5 billion pounds ($6.6 billion) for drone technology, 8 billion鈥痯ounds ($10.6 billion) to build new stealth fighter jets alongside Japan and Italy, and 11 billion pounds ($14.5 billion) to increase weapons stockpiles. The U.K. will also spend 64 billion pounds ($85 billion) modernizing its nuclear weapons.
Starmer said some road and energy projects would be scrapped to help pay for the military.
The U.K. military is seeking to reverse years of decline in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia, which invaded its neighbor Ukraine in 2022 and increasingly tests the defenses of European nations with overt and covert activity.
The U.K. has watched how drones have transformed war in Ukraine, which uses 200,000 of them a month to defend against Russian forces. Britain plans to invest billions in drone systems across all branches of the military. Instead of a planned fleet of new destroyers, the Royal Navy will get hybrid vessels that will act as command hubs for drones.
鈥淭he very nature of conflict is changing before our eyes,鈥� Starmer said during a speech at a drone manufacturer near London. He said that, armed with cutting-edge technology, Ukrainian forces have destroyed Russia鈥檚 Black Sea fleet, 鈥渟truck deep into Russian territory and stopped the advance of one of the biggest armies in the world.鈥�
Critics say more money is needed
Britain and other NATO member nations have faced pressure from U.S. President to increase military spending. Trump has long of the military alliance and complained that the United States provides security to European countries that don鈥檛 pull their weight.
The resignations of Healey and junior Defense Minister Al Carns were among a series of blows that prompted Starmer to announce last week that . A NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8 may be his final overseas trip as prime minister.
His replacement, likely the former Greater Manchester Mayor , will be under pressure to stick to the commitments in the defense plan.
鈥淚t is a platform on which I know my successor will build,” Starmer said.
Opposition Conservative Party defense spokesperson James Cartlidge said the plan was 鈥渢oo little, too late.鈥�
And retired Gen. Richard Barrons, who helped lead a defense review in preparation for the investment plan, said 鈥渨e have to find more money for defense sooner.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e not keeping up with our allies, we鈥檙e certainly not keeping up with our enemies, and we know that the U.S. is no longer going to come and save European security in the face of a Russian threat,鈥� he told the BBC.
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