Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared that Britain must be prepared to fight and win against hostile nations with advanced militaries, as his government unveiled a £1.5 billion ($2 billion) plan to construct at least six new weapons and explosives factories across the UK.
The announcement comes ahead of the government’s Strategic Defence Review, which will outline the threats facing Britain and how the armed forces will be equipped to respond. European nations are increasingly focused on boosting defence capabilities following comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump urging the continent to take greater responsibility for its own security.
Starmer pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its growing alliances with Iran and North Korea as key examples of the rising global danger. “We are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, so we must be ready to fight and win,” he said.
Defence Minister John Healey described the munitions investment as both a warning to Russia and a move to revive the UK’s economy. In a BBC interview, he said the programme signals Britain’s intent to strengthen its defences while creating jobs and industrial growth.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the funding will go toward producing up to 7,000 British-made long-range weapons. This brings the UK’s total spending on munitions during the current parliament to around £6 billion.
In a separate development, several reports had it that the government is considering purchasing U.S.-made fighter jets capable of launching tactical nuclear weapons, though the Ministry of Defence has not confirmed the report.
The upcoming defence review, commissioned shortly after Labour came to power in July 2024, is expected to outline a comprehensive military strategy for the years ahead. Starmer has already pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, with a long-term goal of reaching 3 per cent.
The government has also announced £1 billion in funding for military applications of artificial intelligence and an additional £1.5 billion to address poor housing conditions for armed forces personnel.
