Britain To Prioritise Drones in Defence Investment Plan
Britain will unveil its long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP) on Tuesday, placing a strong emphasis on modern military technology. The government will prioritise £5 billion of investment in drones, alongside greater use of autonomous systems, as it seeks to modernise and strengthen armed forces that have faced growing pressure amid an increasingly challenging security environment.
The blueprint follows months of delay and arrives after significant political uncertainty. Earlier this month, former defence minister John Healey resigned, criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer over what he described as an inability to secure the funding required to protect the country from evolving threats.
Starmer has since announced that he will also step down, with a successor expected to take office within weeks. As a result, the Defence Investment Plan is set to become one of the prime minister’s final major policy announcements.
Technology Takes Centre Stage
The plan will prioritise attack drones, autonomous systems, and uncrewed ships and submarines. Instead of concentrating investment on traditional warships, the government aims to reflect the changing nature of warfare, drawing lessons from the conflict in Ukraine.
Ahead of the full publication of the strategy, Starmer described the investment as a significant step for Britain’s military capabilities.
“This game-changing investment will strengthen our Armed Forces,” he said before delivering a major speech outlining the complete plan.
Meanwhile, the government has pledged to increase defence spending to 3% of national output during the next parliament. That would represent a rise from the 2.6% level expected to be reached next year. The commitment follows the 2025 defence review, which concluded that Britain must shift towards a state of “war-fighting readiness”.
However, questions remain over funding. Defence chiefs have warned of a £28 billion gap over the next four years. Although the government announced its investment priorities, it did not explain how much of that shortfall the new plan would address. Consequently, defence companies and industry observers will closely examine the detailed proposals.
Focus on Drone Warfare
Defence minister Dan Jarvis, a former British Army major, said uncrewed systems now define modern warfare. He added that the revised Defence Investment Plan would help ensure military personnel receive essential capabilities more quickly.
The experience of Ukraine has reinforced that assessment. The country uses around 200,000 drones each month in its war with Russia, while technological advances continue to emerge within weeks. By comparison, conventional military platforms often require years to develop and deploy.
Therefore, the government believes future investment must focus on flexible and rapidly evolving technology rather than relying solely on traditional defence assets.
Delays Raise Industry Concerns
The nine-month delay in publishing the Defence Investment Plan has slowed investment decisions in what many companies consider a sector with strong growth potential. Some industry figures have also expressed concerns privately about whether Britain is willing or able to increase defence spending at the pace required.
Next week, Starmer will attend the NATO summit in Ankara from 7 to 8 July alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders from alliance member states. The meeting comes as European governments respond to changing U.S. security priorities and reassess their own defence capabilities.
Earlier this year, Britain also faced scrutiny after it could not immediately deploy an advanced warship to Cyprus following an attack on its air base by an Iranian-made drone. The incident highlighted operational challenges and reinforced arguments for modernising military capabilities.
In addition, the government announced on Sunday that it would abandon plans to replace ageing destroyers. Instead, it will procure at least six Common Combat Vessels to act as control hubs for uncrewed systems. Jarvis has also confirmed plans to introduce new high-speed boats for commando forces as part of the wider modernisation programme.
With inputs from Reuters