Defense Capabilities Update – GOV.UK

I have been serving as Minister of Defense for four months.

It is an honor and privilege to have this job.

Every day, I meet inspiring and dedicated military, civil servant and industry employees who keep this country safe.

We and the public are often invisible, and often unheard.

We are proud of their professionalism and appreciate all they do.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is a new government that continues to work on national defense. we:

Strengthening support for Ukraine

Landmark Trinity House agreement signed with Germany

We gave our military members the largest pay raise in over 20 years.

Defense confirmed as priority sector as part of government industrial strategy

And this week, we secured the second reading of the Armed Forces Administrator's Bill to improve military service training.

[Political content removed]

But Mr. Deputy Speaker, we know that these are serious times, with war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, and increasing global threats.

And as we see now in Ukraine, technology is rapidly changing the nature of war.

Before the election, we knew we had serious problems with national defense. [political content removed] The Secretary of Defense told this House last year that our military has been hollowed out and underfunded over the past 14 years.

But as I have said in the House since I took office, the problem is much worse than we thought.

The financial and military condition was a terrible inheritance.

Often hidden from parliament.

There is a multi-billion pound black hole in our defense plans.

Taxpayer funds are being wasted.

Military morale has fallen to an all-time low.

That's why we're taking quick action now. That means putting in the investment, freeing up the MoD budget and starting the much-needed reforms to fix the foundations of Britain's defence.

I would like to update the House on what we did today.

First about investment

Last July the Prime Minister exposed the 22 billion black hole at the heart of the government's plans.

Hundreds of unfunded pressures. This year and in the future as well.

The first job of government is to keep this country safe.

That's why the Prime Minister announced in his Budget that he will increase defense spending by almost $3 billion next year to start repairing the foundations of our military.

The Prime Minister also told this House that he would set out a clear path to achieving 2.5 per cent of GDP in defence.

Fully funded [political content removed].

But it's not just about how much you spend on defense, it's also how you spend it.

That's why we're conducting a Strategic Defense Review to assess the threats we face and the capabilities we need for the future.

And that's why I've introduced strict financial controls on the department, including cutting planned consulting spending by $300 million.

Mr. Vice Chairman, we are securing the Department of Defense's budget and investing in our people and future technologies.

Second, the kit and features.

For too long our soldiers, sailors and aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment because ministers have not taken the difficult decisions to decommission it.

As technology advances at a rapid pace, we must move faster toward the future.

So today I can confirm, with the full support of our Chiefs of Staff, that six outdated military capabilities will be retired.

These decisions will save the MOD $150 million over the next two years and up to $500 million over five years, all of which will be retained by Defense.

Along with this statement, I have prepared a WMS to explain the details of the decision to disband. These include:

HMS Northumberland is a frigate whose structural damage has made repairs uneconomical.

46 Watchkeeper Mk1 is a technologically advanced 14-year-old Army drone.

Both the HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark landing ships were effectively decommissioned by the previous minister but kept on the books, ostensibly at a cost of $9 million a year.

Fourteen Chinooks that are over 35 years old are being taken out of service at an accelerated rate.

Neither of the two Wave Class tankers have been to sea in years.

And the fleet of 17 Puma helicopters, which have been flying for more than 50 years, will not be extended.

I know this will mean a lot to the many people who have sailed and flown on this ship while deployed around the world.

They have provided valuable functionality over the years. But their work is done. We must look to the future now.

All current staff will be redeployed or retrained and no one will be made redundant.

And as the First Sea Lord said of these retirements, the threats are changing and we must have confidence that we can make the changes necessary.

And of course, Mr Deputy Speaker, there is no doubt that the future of our Royal Marines and their elite units will be strengthened in the SDR.

This is a common sense decision that previous governments failed to take.

A decision that ensures better value for money for taxpayers and better outcomes for the military.

All decisions are made with the support of the Chief and in consultation with SDR reviewers. Allies have been informed and we are in ongoing dialogue with NATO.

This will not be the last difficult decision I have to make to repair the defense legacy we leave behind.

But they will help secure funding now and give us greater scope to renew our forces for the future as we look to the Strategic Defense Review and 2.5%.

I would like to thank the chief executives who decided to work with me on this issue.

Third, Madam Vice-Chairman, on reform.

I would like to say that defense reform has not been of much interest to defense ministers recently.

It doesn't make headlines. It doesn't advance your career.

However, the way defense works must change to meet increasing and diverse threats.

So I recently launched the largest defense reform program in 50 years.

It is about creating a stronger UK Defense Center to ensure better value for money, better outcomes for our forces and better implement the Strategic Defense Review.

At the center of defense reform is a newly qualified national arms officer, with recruitment now underway.

The Chief of Staff of the Ministry of National Defense will oversee the new military strategic command, which will operate from the end of 2024.

For the first time, he will officially command an individual Chief of Staff.

It is key to prioritizing investment spending across services.

The Deputy Secretary-General will lead a more efficient department with greater policy capacity and influence.

These reforms will ensure faster delivery, better integration and clearer accountability across Defense to ensure our forces are future-fighting.

And finally, my fellow citizens, Madam Vice Speaker.

This government is placing defense personnel at the center of its national defense plan.

But we inherited [political content removed] Military recruitment and maintenance.

We have not met our goal every year for 14 years. Fraud at an all-time low.

These fundamental problems cannot be solved overnight. But as Ministers, we have a job to do to raise morale in our armed forces.

We awarded our military the largest pay raise in 20 years.

Today I can announce the following:

From April I will be introducing a new 30,000 retention payment for a cohort of Tri-service aircraft engineers who have signed up for an additional three years of service. The total number of people is expected to reach approximately 5,000.

And starting in January, 8,000 new maintenance payments will be made to Army personnel with four years of service, supporting 4,000 each year for three years, bringing the total number of troops to 12,000.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, today I set out where we have been and where we are going.

We live in a new era of heightened global tensions.

British defense needs a new era.

To achieve this

Government presents a clear path with additional investment of 3 billion next year, 2.5%

Pursuing broad reforms

fixing the foundation of our military

To better defend Britain.

Strong at home and safe abroad.

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