UK Strategic Defence Review 2025 published
Image courtesy MoD / Crown Copyright
The Strategic Defence Review was launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad for decades to come, putting personnel at the heart of the UK's future defence, strengthening its homeland security and ensuring the UK continues to lead in NATO. The SDR utilises views from a team of experts including military personnel, industry and academics, overseen by Defence Secretary John Healey and supported by a secretariat from the Ministry of Defence.
The world has changed and the threats now being faced are more serious and less predictable than at any time since the Cold War. The UK faces war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks and daily cyber-attacks at home. The UK's adversaries are working more in alliance with one another, while technology is changing how war is fought. Drones now kill more people than traditional artillery in the war in Ukraine and whoever gets new technology into the hands of their Armed Forces the quickest will have the advantage.
In a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK Defence, the Strategic Defence Review aims to make Britain safer, secure at home and strong abroad. It signifies a landmark shift in UK deterrence and defence: moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats and strengthen security in the Euro-Atlantic. As the UK steps up to take on more responsibility for European security, a ‘NATO first’ defence policy and lead within the Alliance is seen as essential. The UK will be in the vanguard of innovation in NATO.
The SDR sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform Defence. It is designed to end the hollowing out of the UK’s Armed Forces and lead in a stronger, more lethal NATO.
As the UK Government moes to reform Defence and increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% in the next Parliament when fiscal and economic conditions allow, the SDR shall help make defence an engine for growth, serving to boost prosperity, jobs and security for working people across the UK.
The SDR’s vision for UK Defence:
- Move to warfighting readiness—establishing a more lethal ‘integrated force’ equipped for the future, and strengthened homeland defence.
- Engine for growth—driving jobs and prosperity through a new partnership with industry, radical procurement reforms and backing UK businesses.
- ‘NATO first’—stepping up on European security by leading in NATO, with strengthened nuclear, new tech and updated conventional capabilities.
- UK innovation driven by lessons from Ukraine—harnessing drones, data and digital warfare to make our Armed Forces stronger and safer.
- Whole-of-society approach—widening participation in national resilience and renewing the Nation’s contract with those who serve.
This is a new vision for how the UK’s Armed Forces should be conceived: a combination of conventional and digital warfighters, the power of drones, AI and autonomy complementing the ‘heavy metal’ of tanks and artillery, innovation and procurement measured in months, not years and the breaking down of barriers between individual Services, between the military and the private sector and between the Armed Forces and wider society.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: "The SDR is our Plan for Change for Defence. A plan to meet the threats we face. A plan to step up on European Security and lead in NATO. A plan that learns the lessons from Ukraine. A plan to seize the defence dividend from our record increase in defence investment, to boost jobs and growth throughout the United Kingdom.
"Through the SDR will make our Armed Forces stronger and the British people safer.
"I’d like to thank those who led the SDR, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, General Barrons and Dr Fiona Hill. The politician, the soldier and a foreign policy expert, as they say themselves in their forward. They have put in a huge effort, alongside others.
"This is a first-of-its-kind, externally led review. A process, in which we received 8 000 submissions from experts, individuals, organisations and MPs from across the House, including the Shadow Defence Secretary.
"I thank them all – and I thank those in the MoD who have contributed to this SDR. This is not just the government’s review it is Britain’s defence review."
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS said: "Today’s (2nd June) publication shows that the MoD has a plan and a good one at that. Industry welcomes the intent, commitment and, ultimately, the security that this long-awaited policy statement will bring. Clearly, as with all such initiatives, what truly matters is the execution of this intent and the resources to fund it. The MoD has acknowledged the need to transform both its procurement processes and its relationship with industry. This focus on redefining our cross-cutting industrial partnership means that businesses large and small can fulfil their role in growth, prosperity and delivering our defence dividend.
"With the commitment shown, both in reforming the defence enterprise and in providing clarity of the demand signal, industry has been recognised as just as important as the front-line commands in navigating an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment.
"Within today’s announcement, there are encouraging signs of how the MoD intends to become not only a better customer but also to support a more effective industry in turn. Take shipbuilding as an example: we are looking at the construction of essentially one ship a year for the next couple of decades. That 'always-on' approach – reflected in other parts of the strategy – is very welcome across the entire enterprise. Industry can plan, invest and, critically, retain the skills needed to build these highly complex platforms.
"We also applaud the Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Defence and our military leaders for being more transparent with the public about the threats we face. This is a significant step forward and we welcome it."
Babcock CEO David Lockwood said: “Babcock welcomes the direction of travel of the Strategic Defence Review. As a key partner to the UK Government, we are fully committed to delivering national security and the defence dividend.”
Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Extending the UK’s security capability depends crucially on supporting our engineering capacity. The government has announced many important engineering and technology initiatives in the Strategic Defence Review, to which many of our Fellows and other engineers have contributed, including plans to accelerate adoption of digital technologies and AI, commitments to essential manufacturing capabilities, creating a pipeline of skills and a renewed focus on home defence and resilience.
“However, the skills challenge must not be underestimated. There is both a significant shortage of engineers and technicians in the UK and significant skills gaps within the engineering profession that could undermine national security and the defence industry’s ability to meet these ambitions if not addressed."
David Clark, AtkinsRéalis Market Director - Defence & Aerospace, UK & Ireland, said: “The Strategic Defence Review represents a turning point, not just for national security but for the UK economy. Defence investment has always been a driver for industry growth, regional development and high-value jobs but this review puts the sector at the heart of the economy.
"The commitment to build up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines and modernise supporting infrastructure is both a long-term military plan and a long-term industrial strategy. An expanded submarine enterprise, underpinned by AUKUS, will strengthen our sovereign capability, exports and partnerships with allies.
"Crucially, this review invests in people. Significant new funding for the defence estate and cyber, with the establishment of CyberEM Command, will help to attract, develop and retain the talent our armed forces need.
"To deliver on this ambitious review, government and industry must now work in lockstep to accelerate procurement and unlock the full potential of the forthcoming Industrial Strategy.”
Dr Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems said: “The Government’s investment rightly balances conventional equipment like combat aircraft, submarines and ships with drones, cyber and other critical new technologies. It also emphasises strengthening supply chain resilience through investing in the UK’s industrial base and the importance of strategic international partnerships with allies through NATO, AUKUS and the Global Combat Air Programme.
“This clear demand signal gives our sector the confidence to invest in boosting capacity, driving efficiencies and developing cutting-edge technologies to meet evolving requirements for the UK and our allies, while driving economic growth through exports and thousands of highly skilled jobs across the country. With our partners across the supply chain, we’re confident we can play our role in delivering the UK Government’s vision."
Naomi Hulme, COO & Co-Founder, Skyral said: "The SDR puts Britain at the forefront of preparedness thanks to this renewed investment into sovereign defence capabilities. The critical question is whether we can execute effectively.
"Britain's defence tech sector is ready to deliver the innovative systems this review demands. For that to happen, the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy must embrace procurement reform and ensure increased investment reaches the innovative SMEs ready to scale and become integral to our national defence infrastructure."
To download a pdf copy of the SDR: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/683d89f181deb72cce2680a5/The_Strategic_Defence_Review_2025_-_Making_Britain_Safer_-_secure_at_home__strong_abroad.pdf
