The UK government will announce plans to build up to 12 new attack submarines as part of a sweeping Strategic Defence Review set to be unveiled on Monday. The move marks a significant shift towards enhanced “warfighting readiness” to counter growing security threats faced by the country.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to confirm that these submarines will be conventionally armed but nuclear-powered, replacing the existing Astute-class fleet from the late 2030s onwards.
In a key commitment, the government will also allocate £15 billion to modernise the UK’s nuclear warhead programme, reinforcing its continuous-at-sea deterrent capabilities.
Speaking ahead of the announcement, Sir Keir stated the new submarines, alongside the UK’s nuclear-armed Dreadnought-class vessels, would keep “Britain and Nato safe for decades.”
The review, commissioned by Labour and led by former defence secretary Lord Robertson, will present 62 recommendations to reshape the UK’s armed forces for the coming decades — all expected to be accepted by the government.
Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized the importance of the submarine fleet, stating: “Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression.”
Building the new vessels is projected to sustain 30,000 jobs into the 2030s and create thousands of apprenticeships and graduate roles over the next decade.
Alongside the submarine programme, the review includes a £1.5 billion investment to build six new munitions factories, creating an “always on” production capacity. Plans also call for up to 7,000 long-range weapons, including missiles and drones, to be developed within the UK to strengthen military capabilities.
To address emerging domains of warfare, the government pledges to establish a new “cyber and electromagnetic command” to bolster the armed forces’ defensive and offensive cyber operations.
Additional funding commitments include £1.5 billion for military housing repairs and £1 billion to accelerate the delivery of targeting information to soldiers on the battlefield.
However, the review stops short of increasing the overall size of the Army before the next general election, with Healey emphasizing a focus on reversing troop declines. His aim is to restore the Army to a strength of 73,000 full-time soldiers during the next Parliament.
The announcement comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including ongoing concerns over Russia’s aggression and pressure from NATO allies and the United States for European nations to boost defence spending.
The government has pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, though critics urge a faster rise to 3% or higher.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge warned that Labour’s ambitious plans must be backed by adequate funding to be credible.
Meanwhile, NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called for member states to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence, plus an additional 1.5% on related expenditures.
Despite pledges to reverse decades of underinvestment, analysts remain cautious, noting that past defence reviews have often struggled to secure matching resources.
The UK’s Strategic Defence Review will test whether the government’s ambitions can be translated into real-world military strength in an increasingly challenging global environment.
