Work is undertaken on the flight deck of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales at HMNB Portsmouth, in Portsmouth, England, on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP) **FILE**
Work is undertaken on the flight deck of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales at HMNB Portsmouth, in Portsmouth, England, on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP) **FILE**
British officials say they want to transform the United Kingdom’s defense industry into “an engine of growth” while increasing military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by April 2027 and reaching 3% in the next Parliament.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, the U.K.’s finance minister, said the Labor government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer will increase the defense budget by more than $2.8 billion in 2025-2026, taking additional spending on defense to about $ 6.5 billion since the last budget was passed in August 2024.
“A month ago, the [prime minister] announced the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War as a result of the changing global picture,” Ms. Reeves said Wednesday. “We are going further and faster to protect our national security and maximize the economic growth potential of the U.K. defense sector.”
The U.K. will begin fitting out Royal Navy ships with directed energy weapons next year, a full five years earlier than planned. Directed energy weapons use focused energy like lasers and microwaves to hit targets without relying on a physical projectile.
“The world is changing before our eyes, reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine,” Ms. Reeves said in a statement. “Europe is facing a once-in-a-generation moment for its collective security, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home.”
The additional defense funding will also provide better homes for military families and upgrade the Royal Navy’s critical base in Portsmouth.
British officials said the military will focus on acquiring additional emerging technologies like drones and autonomous systems to get them into the hands of military troops. A new defense innovation unit inside the U.K.’s Ministry of Defense will identify promising technology and quickly get it into the hands of the soldiers.
The Starmer government’s investment in military spending will also spur economic growth throughout the U.K., Ms. Reeves said.
“U.K. citizens will be protected from threats at home while creating a stable environment in which businesses can thrive, and supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships,” she said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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