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Billions of pounds earmarked for new munitions factories and submarine expansion ahead of UK Strategic Defence Review

2nd June 2025 - 10:29 GMT | by Damian Kemp, Lucy Powell in London

RSS

The 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines will see them replace the Astute Class from late 2030s. (Photo: Crown Copyright)

The UK’s Strategic Defence Review will call for ‘warfighting readiness’ and outline the threats the country will need to face and counter with modern defence equipment and technology.

The UK’s upcoming Strategic Defence Review (SDR), set for release on 2 June and billed as “bold and radical”, is expected to outline sweeping recommendations aimed at enhancing the readiness and warfighting capabilities of the country’s Armed Forces, as well as strengthening its defence industrial base.

While the finer details are yet to be disclosed ahead of its release, the UK Government has already made statements about its efforts to modernise the UK Armed Forces in response to the SDR, with three statements focusing on bolstering nuclear deterrent, naval capabilities and munitions.

The report makes 62 recommendations, which the

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