London
CNN
–
The UK will build new attack submarines, invest billions in nuclear warheads, and move towards “preparation for battle,” Prime Minister Kiel Starmer said Monday.
The priority government said it would build the “largest” new attack submarines at the “maximum” as part of the auricle partnership between the US and Australia, in place of the current class of seven submarines in the late 2030s.
And he will begin a “historical renewal” of UK nuclear deterrence, backed by a £15 billion ($20.3 billion) investment, Starmer said in a speech in Scotland on Monday.
The announcement comes as a much-anticipated review of Britain’s armed service was released on Monday. Experts have been calling for the modernization of Britain’s armed service for decades, a cry that has grown in volume since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
“When we are directly threatened by the advanced army, the most effective way to stop them is to show them that we are ready and, frankly, we are ready to bring peace through strength,” Starmer said Monday.
However, the priority refused to set a timeline for the pledge that the UK’s overall defence spending would reach 3% of the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The uplift, announced earlier this year, is expected to reach the end of the next legislature in 2034, but will depend on the economic situation.
And the Prime Minister did not decide where the money to pay for the new weapons would come from. He previously announced cuts to the UK aid budget to fund the rise in defence spending, and refused to rule out a similar move on Monday.
The UK’s financial commitments have led to defensive spending promises from several NATO countries whose spending is being scrutinized by US President Donald Trump.
NATO Executive Director Mark Latte said last month that NATO members “estimated” their 5% defensive spending target at the NATO summit in June.
According to NATO data for 2024, Poland’s defence spending alone exceeded 4% of GDP, while Latvia and Estonia had risen to 5%, while Italy has promised to hike at 3.5-5% of GDP. US defense spending sat at 3.38% of GDP in 2024, accounting for around 64% of total NATO spending.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and subsequent pressure to increase its own military capabilities from Trump’s administration, sparked race among key European military forces, as the White House pulled support for Kiyif, boosted their preparation and countered the Russian threat.
The UK “can’t ignore the threat poses by Russia,” the star told the BBC on Monday. “In recent weeks, Russia has shown that peace needs to be ready, not serious.”
Priority said Monday that it was intended to transform Britain into a battle-ready nation with the most powerful alliances and the most advanced capabilities.
Alongside the promised submarine, Priority said the “Hybrid Royal Navy” will patrol the North Atlantic Ocean and be an important transportation route for Russian submarines to reach sea fields in the eastern US.
The review, commissioned by his government and led by former NATO George Robertson, is expected to highlight many new threats, including the drone warfare where the UK is behind.
Given the decades-long shrinking investment in the UK military, questions have been raised about the deterrence provided by traditional British nuclear weapons, particularly given the US reliance on supply chains. The UK has publicly admitted that one of Florida’s failed nuclear missile tests failed two nuclear missile tests.
