New era in defence: Government launches in-depth review of UK armed forces

• The Strategic Defence Review aims to ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad.
• The review was commissioned by the prime minister, will be overseen by defence secretary John Healey and chaired by Lord Robertson. The report is due to be published in the first half of 2025.
• This is intended to be a UK-wide review, not just a government review, so the consultation will include active military personnel, veterans, MPs from all parties, industry and academia.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer today launched a thorough review of Britain’s defence, aimed at ensuring it remains secure at home and strong abroad for decades to come.

The Strategic Defence Review will be delivered at pace and report in the first half of 2025, with work starting immediately, recognising the urgency of the threats facing the UK. It comes as Defence Secretary John Healey says that “at the start of a new era for the UK, we need a new era for defence. The Review will strengthen the foundations for this new mission-focused government.”

As we enter a new era requiring a new type of review, the Strategic Defence Review will be led by three external reviewers, a first for UK defence:

• Lord Robertson – former Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General (Review Lead)
• Dr Fiona Hill CMG – foreign policy expert and former advisor to the US President
• General Sir Richard Barrons – former Commander of the Joint Forces Command and former Deputy Chief of Defence Staff

The reviewers will be supported by a Defence Review Team, made up of senior experts from within and outside government, and will engage broadly with the defence community. Submissions will be accepted until the end of September from active and retired members of the armed forces, the defence industry, the general public, academics, Parliament and our closest allies and partners, particularly in NATO.

Today’s announcement follows the successful NATO Summit in Washington, where the Prime Minister reaffirmed his “serious commitment” to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence and to the Alliance.

With war in Europe after Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and growing global threats, the review will look at the threats the UK faces, the capabilities needed to meet them, the state of the UK’s armed forces and the resources available, ensuring that a NATO-first approach is at the heart of UK defence planning.

Defence Secretary John Healey will oversee the review, and the reviewers will regularly report to him, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor on progress. The Defence Review Team will be supported by the Ministry of Defence Secretariat.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

We live in a more dangerous and unstable world. My government will create a clear new approach to our national defence, equipping us to meet international threats while keeping the British people safe.

I promised the British people that I would deliver the changes needed to take our country forward, and I promised action, not words. That is why one of my first actions since taking office is to launch the Strategic Defence Review. We will make sure that our hollowed-out armed forces are strengthened and respected, that defence spending is increased responsibly, and that our country has the capabilities it needs to ensure Britain’s resilience for the long term.

Defence Secretary John Healey said:

As we begin a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defence. A hollowed-out force, wasted procurement and neglected morale cannot continue. In the meantime, we need to be clear-eyed about the threats we face as the world becomes increasingly unstable and technology changes the nature of war.

In response, our armed forces must be better prepared for combat, more integrated, and more innovative. We need clearer accountability, faster delivery, less waste, and better value for money.

This review aims to ensure that defence remains a key element of the UK’s future security and its economic growth and prosperity.

This new era requires a new type of review, and it will happen at speed. So the Prime Minister and I will draw on external military, industry and foreign policy experts, as well as those from within Government, to help set the path for Britain’s defence over the next decade. Together we will keep Britain safe at home and strong abroad.

Leading reviewer Lord Robertson of Port Ellen said:

Twenty-five years after the restructuring of the Armed Forces in 1998, I am honoured to chair a review, overseen by John Healey, that will help shape our Armed Forces for the new century.

The world is a more dangerous place, and to combat this evolving threat, we need a new approach. We will also need a new type of review that is delivered quickly but that also includes the views and voices of all parties, all parts of the defense family, and the spectrum of our partners and allies.

The Strategic Defence Review will aim to:

• Make defence personnel a key part of future defence work. *Ensure that the UK continues to lead in NATO.
• Strengthening the UK’s internal security.
• Strengthen Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression.
• Modernization and maintenance of nuclear deterrent means.
• Adapting military services and equipment programs to needs.
• Help us implement the One Defence guiding principle

Our Armed Forces remain ready to defend the UK and protect our interests at home and abroad – whether through 24-hour nuclear submarine patrols, fast-reaction fighters ready to launch 24/7, or thousands of soldiers deployed on international exercises. And the UK’s defence depends on tens of thousands of others outside uniform in government, industry and wider society.

However, in recent years, threats to our security have significantly intensified and diversified, including more serious conventional threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns. This requires in-depth analysis, conducted at a rapid pace, to determine how best to address these evolving threats.