商业快报

UK must spend £68bn to modernise military, defence review suggests

Drones and artificial intelligence will be needed to increase warfighting capability
An F-35B Lightning II fighter at RAF Marham, Norfolk: the SDR recommends procuring more such stealth aircraft

The UK will need to spend about £68bn to prepare its armed forces for modern warfare, a long-awaited strategic defence review suggests, laying bare the budgetary pressures on Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

The review of weapons the UK will need to wage a sustained war against a rival nation recommends a greater use of drones, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence that will turn the British soldier into a “digital warfighter”.