The United Kingdom's defense spending plan has suffered delays that are "profoundly dangerous" and have resulted in lost crucial time in preparing for a potential war with Russia, former high-ranking military officials warned. "The world is on fire" and Britain's allies are "dismayed" by the nation's lack of preparedness, MPs were told.
General Sir Richard Barrons, a former UK government advisor on defense, and Lord Robertson, former NATO Secretary General, who co-authored a defense plan, appeared before a parliamentary committee to detail the UK's vulnerabilities. They stated that the country is within range of Russian ballistic missiles and its defenses are "near non-existent."
Their previously published Strategic Defence Review (SDR) outlined requirements for Britain to counter potential Russian aggression. The SDR was intended to be followed urgently by the government's Defence Investment Plan (DIP), but ministers reportedly spent a year deliberating on potential cuts.
"Entry level Integrated Missile Defence (IMD) is probably £80 billion over ten years," Sir Richard told the Defence Committee, contrasting this with the DIP's allocation of just £1 billion for such measures. He added that a comprehensive IMD system could cost up to £120 billion. "People assume there is a sort of ‘Iron Dome’ over London but it is not even remotely there," he cautioned.
Sir Richard also stated that the delay in publishing the DIP has weakened the UK's defense industrial base, as companies either faced closure or accepted foreign orders due to the lack of government guidance on spending.
The former officials expressed concern that the delays are particularly alarming given that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned of potential direct conflict with Russia by 2030. Sir Richard emphasized that Russia's actions, including recent incidents involving its aircraft and drones near UK assets and facilities, indicate an increasing willingness to challenge the West.
The UK's standing as a major NATO spender has reportedly fallen, with the nation now ranked 12th in terms of spending and 31st out of 32 members in capability targets. The SDR was drafted with the assumption of spending 3.0% of GDP by the new parliament, projected for 2028 or 2029. However, current projections suggest spending will only reach 2.7% by 2030.
Lord Robertson noted that allies are "dismayed" by the prolonged delays and the lack of clarity regarding defense investment. He suggested that Prime Minister Starmer might face a difficult reception from allies, including U.S. President Donald Trump, at the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, as other nations are increasing their defense expenditures.