SDR 2025

Last week saw the unveiling of the long awaited Strategic Defence Review. A central
pillar of this is the profound emphasis on defence technology, aiming to leverage
innovation to create a more lethal, integrated, and resilient force. It is clear the
security environment is more demanding than at anytime since the Cold War,
marked by escalating geopolitical instability and the rapid proliferation of advanced
technologies. In response to this the government has committed to the largest
sustained increase in defence spending for a generation.

The review highlights the recent rapid changes in technology in warfare, and the
continual need to harness this new technology as part of the vision for the UK to
become a leading tech-enabled defence power by 2035. The technologies that the
review states as redefining warfare include: artificial intelligence, autonomous
robotics, enhanced precision weapons, quantum computing, and directed energy
weapons. The governments commitment to these technologies is clear, with plans to
double investment into autonomous systems, and accelerate the use of drones in the
armed forces.

Learning crucial lessons from ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine where
drones and digital warfare have proven decisive, the review underscores the critical
need for speed in innovation and procurement. To aid this, a £400 million innovation
fund has been established, with a strong intention to capitalise on the innovation
capabilities of smaller pioneering defence firms. This new investment in novel
technologies ensures that defence spending delivers for both the warfighter and the
economy.

See here for the document itself.