Overview

• On June 2, the government published a strategic defence review calling for the construction of up to 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines to replace the current fleet by 2030.
• It pledged £15 billion to domestic nuclear warhead programmes and allocated £1.5 billion for at least six new munitions factories to secure ammunition supplies.
• The plan includes procuring up to 7,000 domestically made long-range weapons and raising defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027 and three percent by 2034.
• Ministers said the overhaul will restore the armed forces to a “war-ready” status and strengthen the UK’s deterrence within NATO in response to growing threats from Russia.
• Officials estimate that the industrial investments in submarines, warheads and factories will create tens of thousands of skilled jobs across the UK.