UK Defence Secretary Plans for 3% GDP Increase in Military Spending

LONDON — Defence Secretary John Healey has affirmed that the United Kingdom is poised to allocate 3% of its GDP to defence in the upcoming parliamentary term. This statement precedes the anticipated release of the government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) scheduled for Monday, which will evaluate the current state of the armed forces, assess the threats facing the nation, and outline the necessary military transformations.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously articulated a “clear ambition” to raise defence expenditures to 3%, contingent upon economic and fiscal parameters. Healey emphasized to The Times that a “certain decade of rising defence spending” lies ahead. He noted that this commitment enables long-term planning and equips the government to address various pressures effectively.

Currently, the UK allocates 2.3% of its GDP to defence, with plans to elevate this figure to 2.5% by 2027.

The Ministry of Defence has reiterated that the official government stance remains unchanged, stating: “This government has announced the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the end of the Cold War – 2.5% by 2027 and 3% in the next parliament when fiscal and economic conditions allow, including an additional £5 billion this financial year.”

The SDR is expected to outline how this funding increase will be used, focusing on enhancing capabilities to maintain a leading edge in NATO, investing in personnel, and positioning defence as a catalyst for economic growth across the UK, thereby bolstering national security both at home and abroad.

Commissioned shortly after taking office in July 2024, the review is spearheaded by Lord Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary and NATO Secretary General. The Ministry of Defence has already hinted at several initiatives as part of the review, including the establishment of a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command and a £1 billion battlefield system known as the Digital Targeting Web. This system aims to improve the integration of armed forces’ weaponry, enabling rapid decision-making and execution in targeting enemy threats.