Government to announce £178 billion defence investment

Prime Minister David Cameron is set to announce a £178 billion investment in defence equipment and support to be carried out over the next decade.

The plans are due to be unveiled as part of the government’s five year National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security review in the House of Commons on 23 November.

The investment will include a £12 billion uplift in the defence equipment budget, nine new Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircrafts and two new Strike Brigades by 2025 for rapid deployment missions - both of which will be up to 5,000 strong. The Strike Brigades will be rapidly deployable, able to self-deploy thousands of kilometres, and possess a much lower logistic footprint.

Writing in the foreword to the review, Cameron says: “This is vital at a time when the threats to our country are growing. From the rise of ISIL and greater instability in the Middle East, to the crisis in Ukraine, the threat of cyber attacks and the risk of pandemics, the world is more dangerous and uncertain today than five years ago.

“The United Kingdom is the only major country in the world today which is simultaneously going to meet the NATO target of spending two per cent of our GDP on defence and the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of our GNI on development, while also increasing investment in our security and intelligence agencies and in counter-terrorism.

“Our Armed Forces, our police and our security and intelligence agencies put their lives on the line every day. Their service is an inspiration to us all and they are the pride of our nation. Through this National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review we will back them and use our hard-earned economic strength to support our Armed Forces, and to give those in our police and our security and intelligence agencies who fight terrorism the resources they need to help keep our country safe.”