UK moves towards ‘war-fighting readiness’, says PM Starmer
The UK is moving towards "war-fighting readiness" as a result of new investment in defence, Sir Keir Starmer said as he announced plans for more munitions factories and up to 12 attack submarines.
The Prime Minister said "three fundamental changes" would be made to the UK's defence, as the strategic defence review is set to be published, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
"When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength."
The second change is that the Government will adopt a "Nato-first" stance towards defence so that everything it does adds to the strength of the alliance.
Sir Keir added: "Third, we will innovate and accelerate innovation at a wartime pace, so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato."
He announced at least six new munitions factories and a £15 billion investment in nuclear warheads.
"I can announce today that we going to build at least six new munitions factories in the United Kingdom, generating over 1,000 jobs," the Prime Minister said.
The £15 billion investment in a "sovereign warhead programme" will be "part of the historic renewal of our nuclear deterrent as the ultimate guarantor of our safety and our security", he added.
Sir Keir had earlier thanked the authors of the strategic defence review, saying: "What you've delivered is a blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger.
"A battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances, and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come."
The new submarines are set to replace the UK's seven Astute-class submarines, armed with conventional weapons.
The new models will be operational from the late 2030s, joining the four Trident submarines that carry the nation's at-sea nuclear deterrent.
Significant investment in the UK nuclear warhead programme and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the Government is expected to accept in full.
But questions were also raised about its commitment to defence spending after the Defence Secretary could not confirm the Treasury had guaranteed funding to bring it up to 3% of GDP by 2034.
Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said.
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