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The newly elected UK government has officially launched a total review of its military.
The Labour government, led by Kier Starmer, confirmed they initiated the long-awaited Strategic Defense Review (SDR). Scheduled to be completed by mid-2025, the review will assess the overall condition of the UK’s armed forces, their resources, and the required capabilities in all military areas.
According to Starmer, UK Defense Secretary John Healey will lead this review. Healey commented on the announcement, saying, “At the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defense. Hollowed-out armed forces, procurement waste, and neglected morale cannot continue.”
The newly appointed defense secretary, a vocal critic of the previous administration’s procurement problems, also noted the waste of $19 billion under the last administration. He vowed new plans to tackle managing taxpayer funds, vowing to “secure the best possible value for money and rapidly changing technology.” Healey also expressed concerns about the shrinking size of the British military and said plans were coming to increase recruitment.
This announcement follows a NATO summit in Washington, DC, where UK Prime Minister Starmer pledged to boost defense spending to 2.5% of GDP. With current spending at 2.3%, this increase would surpass NATO’s requirement for member countries to allocate at least 2% of their GDP to defense.
Digging Deeper:
For years, the United Kingdom’s military has struggled with budget constraints, aging equipment, and recruitment issues, which have impacted its operational readiness and modernization efforts. A recent assessment by the country revealed that it does not have enough military resources to sustain a prolonged conflict beyond a few days. According to the UK Defense Committee, the UK would begin having significant supply issues after five days of a major full-scale war.
