The British military is investing in an “unmanned force” concept to defend against Russia, based on the Ukrainian model that is making major inroads in the battle against Vladimir Putin’s army.
The Army will spend £500m on upgrading its drone fleet and operations as part of a defence package of up to £15bn over three years, due to be announced on Tuesday, which is heavy on the drones and Artificial Intelligence that are driving major changes in conflict around the world.
Funding of around £500m has also been announced for new commando forces, to be spent on all kinds of surface and underwater drones. Meanwhile, plans to build a new class of naval destroyer, codenamed the Type 83, have been ditched. Instead, the new plan opts for up to six hybrid amphibious assault ships – platforms to launch drones for land, air and sea combat, and to support attack and rescue helicopters.
Shorts
It represents a major sea change in the UK’s approach to military spending. Previous plans for an unmanned British force were nixed by the Treasury three years ago as being too expensive – and the UK has subsequently watched as Ukraine’s drones have devastated supply lines to a depth of 25 miles behind Russia’s front lines. Ukrainian forces have made the two main road routes across southern Ukraine beyond hazardous by targeting Russian trucks. Russian-occupied Crimea is all but stranded.
