UK's Latest Defense Investment Plan Boosts Unmanned Equipment

Reference News Network reported on July 7 According to the British Daily Mail website on July 1, the UK's "Defense Investment Plan" was officially announced on June 30, which clarifies the Labour Party's roadmap for strengthening national security and marks the UK's formal entry into a new era of military development.

The report states that traditional defense equipment such as ground forces and manned tanks will make way for unmanned systems, which have demonstrated formidable power on the battlefield in Ukraine.

In the next four years, the UK will increase defense spending by £15 billion, bringing the total defense expenditure close to £300 billion. By 2030, defense spending will account for 2.68% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The navy will undergo transformation to become a "hybrid navy." The Royal Air Force and the Army will also undergo similar reforms.

The plan will invest £5 billion in the research and development of land, sea, and air unmanned systems. Future military operations will be dominated by artificial intelligence. The navy's hybrid fleet will be equipped with Type 91 unmanned missile boats and Type 93 unmanned submarines. The plan will also allocate £230 million for the development of "autonomous" underwater combat systems.

Manned vessels will serve as motherships, commanding large groups of surface and underwater unmanned vessels in combat. To reduce costs, the UK has initiated a joint shipbuilding project with the Netherlands and Norway. As part of the Australia-UK-US alliance (AUKUS) plan, the UK will deepen submarine cooperation with the United States and Australia, planning to build 12 attack submarines. To address situations similar to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the UK will invest £1.3 billion to enhance mine-clearing capabilities. An additional £120 million will be allocated this fiscal year for the procurement of fast boats.

The £6 billion Ajax armored vehicle project, which has faced numerous issues, will be retained, with the government adding another £1 billion investment to ensure the vehicle is put into service. Ground unmanned vehicles will receive £150 million in funding, and long-range attack drones will receive £210 million. The "Challenger"-3 tank and "Wolfhound" all-terrain vehicle projects will receive investments of £1 billion and £2.2 billion, respectively.

The plan will allocate approximately £63.6 billion to upgrade nuclear deterrent capabilities, including the addition of 16 submarines, MK4 nuclear warhead updates, the establishment of a nuclear fuel cycle system, and upgrades to dock facilities. The government will also provide funding for the "Nuclear Triad Assurance Program," which includes 4 "Dreadnought" class submarines, 1 nuclear warhead project, and manufacturing base renovation projects.

The plan will also invest £19 million in the research and development of short-range ballistic missiles and £40 million in land-based lethal weapons, aiming to increase the Army's firepower capability tenfold. Special forces funding will see a 12% increase, but the details of equipment procurement and specific funding amounts for this unit are classified information.

The UK will continue to collaborate with Japan and Italy on the development of sixth-generation stealth fighters through the "Global Combat Air Program" (GCAP), with a total investment of £8 billion. Previously, there were speculations that the UK might withdraw from this cooperative project due to rising costs and the positioning of the aircraft. (Translated by Wang Dongdong)