EuropeJune 30, 2026 3:49 pm • 2 min readBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer reacts as he meets with Defence Secretary John Healey and Member of the House of Lords George Robertson at 10 Downing Street on July 16, 2024 in London, England. (Benjamin Cremel / WPA Pool)Outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on June 30 the long-awaited Defense Investment Plan, which includes a 15 billion-pound ($20 billion) spending boost to modernize the British Armed Forces.The plan, backed by 300 billion pounds ($400 billion) in funding over four years, is part of a drive toward a more "European NATO" and will help the British forces deter the Russian threat, Starmer said.The long-term funding will include 5 billion pounds ($6.6 billion) to modernize the U.K. military's drone capabilities, including 650 million pounds ($860 million) for the purchase of cheap aerial and ground drones, the British Defense Ministry said in a press release.It also allocates billions to a new stealth fighter jet program, nuclear capabilities, AI integration, air defenses, ammunition production, and other sectors.Starmer hailed the plan as a "generational transformation of our armed forces," which will also include lessons learned from Ukraine.The news comes only a week after Starmer announced he is stepping down as prime minister following months of internal pressure. His cabinet has long faced criticism for failing to allocate enough resources to defense, including from former U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey, who resigned over the dispute.The new plan sees the U.K. increasing its annual defense spending to almost 80 billion pounds ($106 billion) by 2029, and reaching NATO's defense spending targets by 2035."By choosing to embrace new technology, I am equipping our forces with the autonomous systems which will give them the edge," British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis said."This extra money and these choices send a clear signal to our allies and our adversaries alike: Britain is stepping up on security."