STORY
The Defence Secretary has announced a major overhaul of the British Army, promising a larger, more modern, and more lethal force by the end of the decade. Speaking at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference, John Healey said the changes outlined in the new Strategic Defence Review would reverse years of decline and prepare the UK for future threats.
Healey confirmed the government would spend 2.6 percent of GDP on defence by 2027, with an ambition to increase that to 3 percent in the next Parliament. The Army’s full-time strength is set to grow to at least 76,000, with the Defence Secretary criticising the current recruitment system as inefficient and responsible for losing over a million potential applicants in the past decade. He pledged to reform it and offer better pay, improved housing, and more support for service families to help retain personnel.
A new Armed Forces Commissioner will also be appointed to act as an independent advocate for service members, and further investment will be made in childcare and accommodation. Healey said the government would bring 36,000 military homes back under full public control and invest £1.5 billion in military housing during this Parliament.
The Army’s capabilities are also set for a significant technological boost. Healey announced £100 million would be spent this year on land-based drone swarms, with uncrewed systems to become a central part of the Army’s future. A total of £4 billion will be spent on drones this Parliament, including 3,000 strike drones and 1,000 surveillance drones. Every infantry section will be equipped with its own drone unit, and a new Drone Centre will be established. The government will also invest £1 billion in a “digital targeting web” linking sensors to strike platforms, a system already being tested in Estonia. By 2027, it is expected to be fully operational in NATO exercises.
Healey described the changes as the most substantial rearmament of the Army in a generation, saying the UK needed to be ready to fight and win alongside allies. He said the British Army would become tougher, more deployable, and better connected, warning that the threats of the modern world require action, not just words. He concluded with a message aimed both at military personnel and political audiences: that security at home depends on credibility abroad, and that Britain must now deliver on its commitments with urgency and determination.