The UK’s new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has commissioned a “root and branch” review of the UK Armed Forces which will be overseen by Defence Secretary John Healey and headed by former Secretary General of NATO Lord Robertson.
The Strategic Defence Review which was launched today aims to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad in the decades ahead. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that the Review will be delivered at pace and report in the first half of 2025, with work starting immediately in recognition of the urgency of the threats facing the UK.
In a first-of-its-kind for UK defence the Strategic Defence Review will be headed by three external Reviewers: Lord Robertson, former UK Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General (Review lead); Dr Fiona Hill CMG, foreign policy expert and former US presidential advisor; and General Sir Richard Barrons, former Commander Joint Forces Command and former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.
The reviewers will be supported by a Defence Review Team comprised of senior high-level experts from inside and outside the government. Submissions will be invited until the end of September from serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, the defence industry, the general public, academics, Parliament, and the UK’s closest allies and partners, especially in NATO.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and increasing global threats, the review seeks to assess the challenges the UK encounters, the necessary capabilities to address them, the current state of the UK armed forces, and the available resources and it will prioritize a ‘NATO-first’ policy in Britain’s defence plans.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We live in a more dangerous and volatile world. My government will forge a new clear-eyed approach to our national defences, equipping us to tackle international threats head-on while keeping the British people safe and secure.”
“I promised the British people I would deliver the change needed to take our country forward, and I promised action not words. That’s why one of my first acts since taking office is to launch our Strategic Defence Review. We will make sure our hollowed out armed forces are bolstered and respected, that defence spending is responsibly increased, and that our country has the capabilities needed to ensure the UK’s resilience for the long term.”
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “At the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defence. Hollowed-out armed forces, procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue. Meanwhile, we need to be clear eyed about the threats we face, with the world becoming more volatile and technology changing the nature of warfare.”
“In response, our armed forces need to be better ready to fight, more integrated and more innovative. We need clearer accountability, faster delivery, less waste and better value for money.”
“The Review will ensure that Defence is central to the future security of Britain and to its economic growth and prosperity.”
“This new era requires a new type of review that moves at pace. The Prime Minister and I will therefore draw on both external military, industrial and foreign policy experts, and those from inside Government, to help set the path for Britain’s defence for the next decade. Together, we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
Lead Reviewer Lord Robertson of Port Ellen said: “Twenty-five years after the armed forces restructuring in 1998, it is an honour to lead a review overseen by John Healey, to help shape our military for the new century.”
“The world is a more dangerous place and to combat the evolving threat we need a new approach. We also will need a new type of Review, which delivers quickly but also includes the views and voices of those from all parties, all parts of the defence family and a spectrum of our partners and allies.”
