LONDON – Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the center of Britain’s future military under a defense plan being announced Tuesday that reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology.
The Defense Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials wrangled over the cost of equipping the U.K. military for an increasingly dangerous world. Like other NATO countries, the U.K. is under pressure to increase defense spending to counter a more aggressive Russia and less reliable United States.
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^<6:C\DE2C>6CQm!C:>6 |:?:DE6C z6:C $E2C>6Ck^2m D2:5 E96 A=2? H:== <66A qC:E2:? D276 😕 “2 >@C6 52?86C@FD 2?5 G@=2E:=6 H@C=5 E92? 2E 2?J E:>6 7@C 564256D]Qk^Am
kAmqFE E96 3=F6AC:?E 5@6D ?@E 4@>>:E E@ DA6?5:?8 bT @7 &]z] vs! @? 5676?D6 3J a_b_[ @?6 @7 E96 724E@CD E92E DAFCC65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^3C:E2:?\5676?D6\D64C6E2CJ\;@9?\962=6J\BF:ED\dbb43aebf`ha7_cd42eacf23d2c_a324Qmy@9? w62=6Jk^2m E@ C6D:8? 2D &]z] 5676?D6 D64C6E2CJ @? yF?6 “k^Am
kAmw62=6J 244FD65 E96 8@G6C?>6?E @7 F?56CDA6?5:?8 @? E96 >:=:E2CJ 2E 2 E:>6 @7 “C:D:?8 E9C62ED[Q 4:E:?8 2 qC:E:D9 :?E6==:86?46 2DD6DD>6?E E92E #FDD:2 4@F=5 2EE24< 2 }p%~ >6>36C 4@F?ECJ 3J a_b_] w6 D2:5 E92E E96 A=2? AFE 7@CH2C5 3J E96 %C62DFCJ H@F=5 D66 DA6?5:?8 C:D6 E@ ;FDE a]egT 😕 a_b_[ 27E6C 9:EE:?8 a]eT ?6IE J62C]k^Am
kAm$E2C>6C D2:5 w62=6J’D DF446DD@C[ s676?D6 $64C6E2CJ s2? y2CG:D[ 925 H@C<65 E@ “D92CA6? 2?5 DEC6?8E96?Q E96 A=2?] xE ?@H :?4=F56D `d 3:==:@? A@F?5D WSa_ 3:==:@?X 😕 DA6?5:?8 — >@C6 E92? E96 `b]d 3:==:@? A@F?5D WS`g 3:==:@?X w62=6J H2D @776C65[ 3FE 72C =6DD E92? E96 ag 3:==:@? A@F?5D WSbf 3:==:@?X E92E 5676?D6 @77:4:2=D 925 42==65 7@C]k^Am
kAm$E2C>6C D2:5 E96 bT E2C86E H:== 36 C624965 “:? E96 ?6IE !2C=:2>6?E[” 2 A6C:@5 E92E 4@F=5 6IE6?5 E@ a_bc]k^Am
kAm$E2C>6C D2:5 E96 A=2? H:== 6?DFC6 “@FC D6CG:46>6? 2?5 H@>6? 92G6 E96 4FEE:?8\6586 42A23:=:E:6D E96J ?665 E@ 56E6C 6G@=G:?8 E9C62ED 2?5 <66A E96 qC:E:D9 A6@A=6 D276]” %96 7F== 5@4F>6?E 😀 5F6 E@ 36 AF3=:D965 =2E6C %F6D52J]k^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.