£16.5 billion defence spending announcement sees RN steal limelight from RAF (updated)
The UK government has announced an extra £16.5 billion for defence spending over the next four years, with Royal Navy modernisation a key focus of new commitments.
Fighter jet and helicopter manufacturers have welcomed news that the UK MoD will receive an additional £16.5 billion ($21.8 billion) over the next four years, the largest British military spending increase in the last 30 years, but commitments made to the Royal Navy (RN) have overshadowed those for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The new spending boost effectively ends months of speculation among defence analysts that departmental cuts would have to be made in order to prioritise healthcare funding in the wake of COVID-19, and follows a decade in which the UK defence budget has fallen by ‘£8 billion in
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Defence Notes
-
![Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems]()
Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems
Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.
-
![Forging strong partnerships for warfighting communications in space (Studio)]()
Forging strong partnerships for warfighting communications in space (Studio)
Mike Moran, Director of US Government Business at Amazon Project Kuiper Government Solutions, highlighted the evolution of space as a critical warfighting domain at the Defence in Space Conference (DISC) 2025, held this week in London.
-
![Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans]()
Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans
In May this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government plans to position Germany as “Europe's strongest conventional army”. A new blueprint outlines how this is going to occur through massive investment.
-
![European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap]()
European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap
Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.
-
![Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026]()
Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026
The country has allocated RM21.70 billion for defence spending next year, with some major procurements set to be initiated across the country’s army, navy and air force.
-
![GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements]()
GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements
The US Government Accountability Office recently released two reports; one into the availability of selected equipment and another looking at how the government gets data and intellectual property rights through contracting.
