Ministers are facing a backlash from military chiefs and the defence industry over delays to the multi-billion pound plan to boost the armed forces.
The publication of the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) was expected this Tuesday, 2 June, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), The i Paper understands.
But the plan – which was originally due for release last autumn – has been held up once again due to an ongoing Whitehall battle over funding.
As the plan was once again delayed, Russian drones hit an apartment block in Romania in the early hours of Friday morning, causing alarm across Nato.
Defence insiders said the attack needed to focus minds in Whitehall about the need to get the plan published.
