Latest news with #StrategicDefenseReview
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK to provide Ukraine with 100,000 drones by April 2026
The United Kingdom pledged on June 4 to supply Ukraine with 100,000 drones by the end of the financial year in April 2026, after saying that unmanned aerial vehicles have changed the way modern wars are fought. The drone package – valued at £350 million ($473 million) – is part of a broader £4.5 billion military support initiative for Ukraine and marks a tenfold increase from a target of 10,000 in 2024 to 100,000 in 2025, the U.K. government said. "The UK is stepping up its support for Ukraine by delivering hundreds of thousands more drones this year and completing a major milestone in the delivery of critical artillery ammunition," Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement. The increase in drone support is timely, as it follows Ukraine's successful Operation Spiderweb on June 1. As part of the operation, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) smuggled 117 drones into Russian territory, striking four airbases and damaging 41 military aircraft. In addition to drone deliveries, the U.K. government confirmed the delivery of 140,000 artillery shells to Ukraine since January and will spend an additional £247 million ($334 million) this year to train Ukrainian troops. "We are learning lessons every day from the battlefield in Ukraine, which British companies are using to develop advanced new drones to help protect Ukraine's civilians and also strengthen our own national security," Healey said. On June 2, the U.K. government endorsed an independent Strategic Defense Review that called for a more technologically advanced military to counter emerging threats, including potential Russian aggression. Citing the war in Ukraine, the review emphasized the importance of drones and digital warfare. To that end, the U.K. will devote more than £4 billion ($5.4 billion) to the development of autonomous systems and drones for the UK Armed Forces to help learn the lessons from Ukraine. This follows a recent commitment from the government to increase military spending to 2.5% of total gross domestic product (GDP) by April 2027. Later today, the U.K. and Germany will co-host the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels, where the group will coordinate further military aid to Ukraine. During the meeting, Defense Secretary Healey will officially announce Britain's latest military support initiative for Ukraine. Read also: Ukraine to deploy new units to counter Russian drone attacks, Air Force says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Defense plan will ensure UK is ready for war, minister says
LONDON — The government will invest billions of pounds to move the UK to "war-fighting readiness" in the face of a new era of threats from nuclear powers like Russia and China, the defense secretary has said. The government has accepted all 62 recommendations set out in a long-awaited Strategic Defense Review (SDR), including building 12 new nuclear-powered submarines, six new munitions factories and embracing technologies like artificial intelligence. Britain's army needs to become "10 times more lethal" to face a "new era of threats", John Healey told MPs on Monday. Conservative shadow defense secretary James Cartlidge called the plans a "damp squib", which was "underfunded and totally underwhelming". The SDR, carried out by former Labour Defense Sectary Lord Robertson, found the UK's armed forces are "not currently equipped" to fight opponents like Russia or China, with inadequate stockpiles of weapons, poor recruitment and crumbling morale. The report warned the UK is already experiencing daily attacks on its critical national infrastructure, testing the economy's vulnerabilities and "and challenging its social cohesion". Russia is "an immediate and pressing threat", as the invasion of Ukraine "makes unequivocally clear its willingness to use force to achieve its goals", the report finds. Meanwhile, China is a "sophisticated and persistent challenge", the review warns, and is "likely to continue seeking advantage through espionage and cyber attacks" and is expected to have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. Iran and North Korea are also highlighted and described as regional disruptors. To fight this, the Ministry of Defense must embrace new technologies such as artificial intelligence, robots and lasers, the review recommends. In a Commons statement, Healey said: "The threats we face are now more serious and less predictable than at any time since the end of the Cold War. "We face war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber-attacks at home. "Our adversaries are working more in alliance with one another, while technology is changing the way war is fought. We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK defense." Other announcements in the review include: A new "hybrid Navy" with Aukus submarines and autonomous vessels that can patrol the North Atlantic £15bn to be spent on new nuclear warheads Commitment to £1.5bn to build six new factories to enable an "always on" munitions production capacity Building up to 7,000 long-range weapons including missiles or drones in the UK, to be used by British forces Pledge to set up a "cyber and electromagnetic command" to boost the military's defensive and offensive capabilities in cyberspace Extra £1.5bn to 2029 to fund repairs to military housing £1bn on technology to speed up delivery of targeting information to soldiers Healey said the changes would help "create a British Army which is 10 times more lethal". He also signalled the government planned to increase the size of the Army from 74,400 to at least 76,000 full-time soldiers after the next election. The UK's Cadet Forces — voluntary youth organizations — will expand by 30% by 2030, with a "gap year" offered to people interested in sampling military life. Some 30,000 highly-skilled jobs would also be created through increased investment in research and weapons manufacturing, Healey said. The review was drawn up with the expectation that defense spending would rise to 2.5% of national income or GDP by 2027 — up from around 2.3% now. But what the review describes as a "small uplift" in the Army has not yet been funded. A defense source also told the BBC the commitment to build up to 12 new attack submarines would require an increase in defense spending to at least 3% of GDP. Ministers say they expect to spend 3% of GDP on defense by 2034 at the latest but have given no guarantees — and the run-up to the review's release has been dominated by a political row over when government will hit the milestone. The Conservatives say the move — which would hike spending by around £20bn a year — should be met by the end of the decade. Cartlidge said that "without the funding, [the review] is an empty wish list" and the "ships and submarines it talks of are a fantasy fleet". The government "wants to send a strong message to Moscow, but the messages he's sending are profoundly weak", Cartlidge added. "After so much hype, the SDR is a damp squib," he said. "It's overdue, underfunded and totally underwhelming. Our armed forces deserve better than this." But Sir Keir Starmer argued the review would help create a "battle-ready, armour clad" nation. Launching the review in Glasgow earlier, the prime minister said: "When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength." Lib Dem defense spokeswoman Helen Maguire said her party welcomed the government's plan, but warned "meeting generational risks will require generational commitments". "It is frankly staggering that we still do not have a clear answer to the vital question where is the money coming from to fund these ambitions," she added. — BBC
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Britain announces $20B boost to make armed forces 'battle ready'
June 2 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans Monday to inject an additional $20.3 billion into the country's nuclear weapons program to combat the "threat from Russia" and China and build 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines. The new spending is part of a major Strategic Defense Review unveiled by Starmer at a military contractor on Clydeside in Scotland, home to the country's Trident submarine nuclear deterrent, aimed at restoring Britain's fighting capability and making it "war-ready" within two years for a conflict in Europe and/or the Atlantic. "We are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength," Starmer said. "I believe the best way to deter conflict is to prepare for it." The plan, was Starmer said, "a blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready, bomber-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come." However, he stressed that it would be a "NATO first" policy, putting the military alliance at the center of everything the United Kingdom did. In addition to the nuclear warheads program and submarines, which will be built under the AUKUS security pact signed in 2021, other review pledges include six new munitions plants and adding 7,000 new long-range weapons to Britain's arsenal, a "hybrid" Royal Navy that uses drones alongside warships, submarines and aircraft and invest in improved housing and equipment for members of the armed forces. While Starmer said he was unable to give assurances that defense spending would reach the government's goal 3% of GDP by 2034, everything in the defense blueprint was deliverable within the 2.5% figure the government committed to in February, due by Fiscal Year 2027. Britain's fiscal year runs April 1 through March 31. The government has promised $12 billion of the $20 billion will come from economic growth, rather than spending cuts or tax hikes. The 3% is an "ambition," and the government's refusal to set a firm timeline, and again tying it in with economic growth, raised eyebrows. Starmer rejected suggestions that the failure to commit to a 3.5% minimum by 2032 called for by Secretary-General Mark Rutte and others, demonstrated a lack of commitment to the 32-member-country alliance. The SDR was slammed by both the opposition Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. "With the prime minister unable to even confirm a date for hitting 3% on defense spending, the SDR really is unravelling. How can they deliver what they've promised?" Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartledge wrote on X. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer's ruling Labour Party of not being able to "even hold a defense policy together for 48 hours." "How can they be trusted to defend Britain? In the most dangerous era in a generation, they found BILLIONS for the Chagos surrender -- but can't commit to properly funding our armed forces," she wrote in a social media post. Writing on X, Helen Maguire, defense spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, called for all-party negotiations to agree on a path forward to 3% of GDP. "Whilst the prime minister is totally right to recognize the importance of increasing our defense capabilities -- without a clear spending plan -- the SDR risks becoming a damp squib," she said.
UPI
2 days ago
- Business
- UPI
Britain announces $20B boost to make armed forces 'battle ready'
June 2 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans Monday to inject an additional $20.3 billion into the country's nuclear weapons program to combat the "threat from Russia" and China and build 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines. The new spending is part of a major Strategic Defense Review unveiled by Starmer at a military contractor on Clydeside in Scotland, home to the country's Trident submarine nuclear deterrent, aimed at restoring Britain's fighting capability and making it "war-ready" within two years for a conflict in Europe and/or the Atlantic. "We are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength," Starmer said. "I believe the best way to deter conflict is to prepare for it." The plan, was Starmer said, "a blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready, bomber-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come." However, he stressed that it would be a "NATO first" policy, putting the military alliance at the center of everything the United Kingdom did. In addition to the nuclear warheads program and submarines, which will be built under the AUKUS security pact signed in 2021, other review pledges include six new munitions plants and adding 7,000 new long-range weapons to Britain's arsenal, a "hybrid" Royal Navy that uses drones alongside warships, submarines and aircraft and invest in improved housing and equipment for members of the armed forces. While Starmer said he was unable to give assurances that defense spending would reach the government's goal 3% of GDP by 2034, everything in the defense blueprint was deliverable within the 2.5% figure the government committed to in February, due by Fiscal Year 2027. Britain's fiscal year runs April 1 through March 31. The government has promised $12 billion of the $20 billion will come from economic growth, rather than spending cuts or tax hikes. The 3% is an "ambition," and the government's refusal to set a firm timeline, and again tying it in with economic growth, raised eyebrows. Starmer rejected suggestions that the failure to commit to a 3.5% minimum by 2032 called for by Secretary-General Mark Rutte and others, demonstrated a lack of commitment to the 32-member-country alliance. The SDR was slammed by both the opposition Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. "With the prime minister unable to even confirm a date for hitting 3% on defense spending, the SDR really is unravelling. How can they deliver what they've promised?" Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartledge wrote on X. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer's ruling Labour Party of not being able to "even hold a defense policy together for 48 hours." "How can they be trusted to defend Britain? In the most dangerous era in a generation, they found BILLIONS for the Chagos surrender -- but can't commit to properly funding our armed forces," she wrote in a social media post. Writing on X, Helen Maguire, defense spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, called for all-party negotiations to agree on a path forward to 3% of GDP. "Whilst the prime minister is totally right to recognize the importance of increasing our defense capabilities -- without a clear spending plan -- the SDR risks becoming a damp squib," she said.
See - Sada Elbalad
3 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
UK to Build 6 New Arms Factories
Israa Farhan The United Kingdom has announced plans to construct at least six new weapons and explosives manufacturing facilities as part of a comprehensive strategic defense review aimed at strengthening national security and expanding the domestic defense industry. The £1.5 billion ($2 billion USD) investment forms a central part of the government's 10-year military equipment and services strategy. The full Strategic Defense Review is scheduled for release on Monday and will outline plans to modernize and expand the UK's defense capabilities in response to evolving global threats. As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Defense will also procure up to 7,000 British-made long-range weapons. This investment is expected to create about 1,800 new jobs across the UK, supporting economic growth while reinforcing the country's defense manufacturing sector. The announcement reflects a significant shift in defense policy, focusing on enhancing the UK's military-industrial base to improve self-sufficiency and supply chain resilience. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
