UK announces one of largest reforms of its armed forces in decades, taking experience of war in Ukraine as model, Politico writes.
"Defence Investment Plan," which Prime Minister Keir Starmer is to unveil on Tuesday as part of one of his last steps before resignation, indicates that UK follows successful experience of Ukraine, focusing on "low-cost systems capable of destroying high-value targets, and innovation cycles measured in weeks, rather than years," report on publication’s website says.
Thus, in Defence Investment Plan (DIP), statement was announced that no new funds will be allocated for construction of up to eight Type 83 guided-missile destroyers and Type 32 frigates – projects that were to become key component of restoring numbers of Royal Navy in 2030s.
"Instead, the U.K. will invest in at least six new Common Combat Vessels which will act as control ships for uncrewed systems which include Type 93 underwater anti-submarine vessels, Type 91 uncrewed missile platforms and Type 92 and Type 94 unmanned sensor platforms for the sky and sea — notable because, despite having no navy, Ukraine defeated Russia’s Black Sea Fleet with a combination of sea and air drones and missiles," the article says
As publication writes, this is noteworthy because, without its own navy, Ukraine defeated Russia Black Sea Fleet using combination of sea and air drones and missiles.
According to information, transition to uncrewed technologies also extends to Royal Air Force: on Monday evening, officials hinted at investment in a "national collaborative combat air programme," under which autonomous aircraft will be created to fly alongside their crewed counterparts – this is part of UK-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Programme aimed at developing sixth-generation fighter jet.
Also, according to DIP, UK will partially approach achieving new NATO goal of allocating 3.5% of GDP for defense by 2035, but UK spending lags behind pace of other allies, such as Germany, France, and Poland. New investment plan provides for increasing defense budget, which for this parliamentary term stands at GBP 270 billion, by another approximately GBP 15 billion.
"That includes GBR 5 billion the government announced it is spending on a drone transformation, with the Ministry of Defence pointing to the 200,000 drones which are used each month by Ukraine as an example of the approach that needs to be copied," Politico notes.
From now on, DIP will fund Europe’s largest drone testing center, which will work alongside new working group with goal of "constantly building up production volumes" to provide UK armed forces with drones.
