The British government has announced plans to invest £1.5 billion in building six new munitions and explosives factories to strengthen the UK's military readiness. The move is part of a wider strategic defence review to be published Monday, as tensions grow in Europe and threats from Russia intensify.
According to Defence Secretary John Healey, the funding will support the manufacture of over 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons and create up to 1,800 new jobs.
"We are strengthening the UK's industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad," Healey said, as reported by Bloomberg.
From depleted stockpiles to "always on" readiness
The investment aims to reverse decades of underinvestment and re-establish a scalable, "always on" munitions production system. Britain's current stockpiles have been severely reduced, in part due to military aid to Ukraine and years of outsourcing production abroad, including to the US and France. This approach aims to address the current deficiencies in weapon stockpiles, which have been depleted due to decades of under-investment and recent support for Ukraine.
"The hard-fought lessons from Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them," Healey said, as reported by Bloomberg.
The review is expected to highlight Britain’s need for constant preparedness and rapid rearmament capacity. As part of this shift, the government will increase its overall munitions spend to £6 billion by 2029.
The Ministry of Defence plans to procure up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons, including drones and missiles, over several years. This procurement is expected to support approximately 1,800 new jobs across the nation, bolstering both national security and the economy.
Jobs, weapons, and global posture
Chancellor Rachel Reeves framed the investment as an economic and security win. "A strong economy needs a strong national defence, and investing in weaponry and munitions and backing nearly 2,000 jobs across Britain in doing so is proof the two go hand-in-hand," she said.
The strategy also includes a new £1 billion "Digital Targeting Web" to better connect the UK's battlefield systems and speed up decision-making.
The government's plan includes raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a further increase to 3% by 2034, reflecting a commitment to strengthening the UK's military capabilities in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
Political pressure over defence spending pace
However, opposition figures say the plans, while welcome, are not fast enough. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge warned: "It's a bit rich of Labour to talk about 'always on' munitions production when procurement has been largely switched off for the past year."
"We welcome investment in new munitions factories, but we don't know when they will be ready, only that these orders should have been placed months ago," he added.
Cartlidge has urged the government to hit 3% of GDP on defence spending by the end of this parliament, not by 2034, arguing the threats Britain faces are more immediate.
Warnings from the military
Military leaders have echoed the concerns. General Sir Patrick Sanders, the former head of the British Army, recently described the Army's low stocks of artillery and missiles as enough to "put hairs on the back of your neck".
Former US Army Europe commander Gen Ben Hodges once told MPs that, in a simulated war game, most of the British Army's munitions were depleted within eight days.
In response, the UK has stepped up contracts for key systems including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and NLAW anti-tank weapons, though production remains slower than many experts recommend.
Nuclear-era risks and NATO expectations
The Times reported that Britain may also look to acquire fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons. Discussions with the US are ongoing.
The review comes amid US pressure for NATO countries to take more responsibility for their own defence. Donald Trump has called for allies to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP. Britain has pledged to reach 2.5% by 2027 and 3% by 2034.
Healey said the defence sector could become "an engine for economic growth", boosting skilled jobs in every region of the UK.
Meanwhile, Reeves reinforced the dual benefit: "We are delivering both security for working people in an uncertain world and good jobs, putting more money in people's pockets as part of our Plan for Change."
Still, critics argue that strategic ambition must now be matched with urgency.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
According to Defence Secretary John Healey, the funding will support the manufacture of over 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons and create up to 1,800 new jobs.
"We are strengthening the UK's industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad," Healey said, as reported by Bloomberg.
From depleted stockpiles to "always on" readiness
The investment aims to reverse decades of underinvestment and re-establish a scalable, "always on" munitions production system. Britain's current stockpiles have been severely reduced, in part due to military aid to Ukraine and years of outsourcing production abroad, including to the US and France. This approach aims to address the current deficiencies in weapon stockpiles, which have been depleted due to decades of under-investment and recent support for Ukraine.
"The hard-fought lessons from Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them," Healey said, as reported by Bloomberg.
The review is expected to highlight Britain’s need for constant preparedness and rapid rearmament capacity. As part of this shift, the government will increase its overall munitions spend to £6 billion by 2029.
The Ministry of Defence plans to procure up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons, including drones and missiles, over several years. This procurement is expected to support approximately 1,800 new jobs across the nation, bolstering both national security and the economy.
Jobs, weapons, and global posture
Chancellor Rachel Reeves framed the investment as an economic and security win. "A strong economy needs a strong national defence, and investing in weaponry and munitions and backing nearly 2,000 jobs across Britain in doing so is proof the two go hand-in-hand," she said.
The strategy also includes a new £1 billion "Digital Targeting Web" to better connect the UK's battlefield systems and speed up decision-making.
The government's plan includes raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a further increase to 3% by 2034, reflecting a commitment to strengthening the UK's military capabilities in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
Political pressure over defence spending pace
However, opposition figures say the plans, while welcome, are not fast enough. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge warned: "It's a bit rich of Labour to talk about 'always on' munitions production when procurement has been largely switched off for the past year."
"We welcome investment in new munitions factories, but we don't know when they will be ready, only that these orders should have been placed months ago," he added.
Cartlidge has urged the government to hit 3% of GDP on defence spending by the end of this parliament, not by 2034, arguing the threats Britain faces are more immediate.
Warnings from the military
Military leaders have echoed the concerns. General Sir Patrick Sanders, the former head of the British Army, recently described the Army's low stocks of artillery and missiles as enough to "put hairs on the back of your neck".
Former US Army Europe commander Gen Ben Hodges once told MPs that, in a simulated war game, most of the British Army's munitions were depleted within eight days.
In response, the UK has stepped up contracts for key systems including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and NLAW anti-tank weapons, though production remains slower than many experts recommend.
Nuclear-era risks and NATO expectations
The Times reported that Britain may also look to acquire fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons. Discussions with the US are ongoing.
The review comes amid US pressure for NATO countries to take more responsibility for their own defence. Donald Trump has called for allies to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP. Britain has pledged to reach 2.5% by 2027 and 3% by 2034.
Healey said the defence sector could become "an engine for economic growth", boosting skilled jobs in every region of the UK.
Meanwhile, Reeves reinforced the dual benefit: "We are delivering both security for working people in an uncertain world and good jobs, putting more money in people's pockets as part of our Plan for Change."
Still, critics argue that strategic ambition must now be matched with urgency.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
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