The UK Royal Air Force's StormShroud autonomous collaborative platform has been designed to support F-35B Lightning and Typhoon pilots by "blinding enemy radars" (UK Royal Air Force)
BELFAST — After months of delay, the UK published its Defence Investment Plan (DIP) today, which is to be bankrolled by £298 billion ($395 billion) over the next four years, a surge of £15 billion over previous budget estimates.
The document sets out long-term British spending commitments, headlined by a promise to invest 2.7 percent GDP before the end of the decade, an increase of 0.4 percent since 2024, when outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer first took office. RELATED: UK prime minister pledges nearly $105B defense budget by 2029
“The central purpose of this defense investment plan, which we published today, is to ensure that they [servicemen and women] have the kit and technology they need to do the difficult job that we ask of them,” newly appointed Secretary of State for Defence Dan Jarvis told lawmakers today.
Beyond top line spending, one of the leading takeaways from the DIP is the clear push to acquire and field autonomous systems, underpinned by a £5 billion investment in the technology to be used at sea, on land and in the air. There’s also significant funding for the UK’s envisioned next-generation fighter aircraft, the Temptest, and a large chunk of cash for armored vehicles.
