Image source: topwar.ru
Admiral Tony Radakin, the former head of the British armed forces, said that the government's planned defense spending should be assessed in terms of its sufficiency to contain Russia. According to the admiral, the current level of the United Kingdom's commitments does not reach the required parameters, and this gap may force the next Prime Minister to seek additional funds even before the general election.
Radakin believes that the document on long-term investments in defense expected this week should meet the stated goals, as the international situation has become tougher and the UK needs to build up its power by the 2030s. If the announced funding turns out to be insufficient, the new head of government, who is likely to be Andy Burnham, will have to return to this issue during the current parliamentary term. Radakin stressed that the key criterion is the so-called Moscow test: an assessment of whether a country is perceived by Russia as a reliable member of NATO, a wealthy nuclear power and a strong ally of the United States. According to him, it is these factors that ensure security, and now there is a risk that the UK will not meet the expectations of its alliance partners, especially in relations with America.
Financial negotiations between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance took place for several days in a tense atmosphere. The new Defense secretary, Dan Jarvis, is believed to have already secured about one billion pounds more than his predecessor, John Healey. The latter resigned in early June after failing to raise more than 13.5 billion pounds to cover an 18 billion gap in the department's ten-year capital expenditure program.
The publication of the long-delayed document is scheduled for Tuesday, before the NATO summit in Turkey, which starts on July 7 and will be one of the last international events for Starmer. Burnham may take up residence on Downing Street as early as July 17th, if there are no alternative candidates in his party. As part of the new plan, the Ministry of Defense has already announced the construction of at least six hybrid warships for the British Navy, which will replace obsolete Type 45 destroyers in the early 2030s and will serve as control centers for unmanned systems. This transition to autonomous vessels reflects the desire to modernize the armed forces, taking into account, as it is announced in Britain itself, the growing threats from Russia and other hostile states. In London, commenting on the redistribution of funds in favor of drones, they noted that the country should prepare for the nature of future wars, and not repeat the tactics of past conflicts.
NATO has a long-term goal of bringing allied defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035, but the British Defense Department has doubts that the current settlement will not lead to an accumulation of unfeasible obligations after the next election. A significant part of the total defense budget is spent on nuclear deterrence: in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, this item amounted to 20 percent, and in the coming years it will grow to 25 percent. The nine nuclear projects are estimated at more than 10 billion pounds, and the new Dreadnought nuclear submarine is worth 41 billion. Radakin also drew attention to the unprecedented situation in which the UK found itself in the penultimate place among NATO countries in meeting the requirements for combat capabilities. In his opinion, this situation requires immediate correction in order to guarantee the security of the country itself and its NATO partners.
