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More than £1bn earmarked for battlefield tech | More than £1bn earmarked for battlefield tech |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A British soldier on exercises earlier this year | |
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will spend more than £1bn to develop technology to speed up decisions on the battlefield. | The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will spend more than £1bn to develop technology to speed up decisions on the battlefield. |
The funding will be one of the results of the government's long-awaited strategic defence review which is due to be published in full on Monday. | The funding will be one of the results of the government's long-awaited strategic defence review which is due to be published in full on Monday. |
The government has committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% GDP from April 2027 with an ambition to increase that to 3% in the next parliament. | The government has committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% GDP from April 2027 with an ambition to increase that to 3% in the next parliament. |
In February, the prime minister said cuts to the foreign aid budget would be used to fund the military boost. | In February, the prime minister said cuts to the foreign aid budget would be used to fund the military boost. |
Announcing the results of the review, the MoD said a new Digital Targeting Web would better connect soldiers on the ground with key information provided by satellites, aircraft and drones helping them target enemy threats faster. | Announcing the results of the review, the MoD said a new Digital Targeting Web would better connect soldiers on the ground with key information provided by satellites, aircraft and drones helping them target enemy threats faster. |
Defence Secretary John Healey said the technology announced in the review - which will harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) and software - also highlights lessons being learnt from the war in Ukraine. | Defence Secretary John Healey said the technology announced in the review - which will harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) and software - also highlights lessons being learnt from the war in Ukraine. |
Ukraine is already using AI and software to speed up the process of identifying, and then hitting, Russian military targets. | Ukraine is already using AI and software to speed up the process of identifying, and then hitting, Russian military targets. |
The review had been commissioned by the newly formed Labour government shortly after last year's election with Healey describing it as the "first of its kind". | The review had been commissioned by the newly formed Labour government shortly after last year's election with Healey describing it as the "first of its kind". |
The government said the findings would be published in the first half of 2025, but did not give an exact date. | The government said the findings would be published in the first half of 2025, but did not give an exact date. |
Healey made the announcement on a visit to the MoD's cyber headquarters in Corsham, Wiltshire. | Healey made the announcement on a visit to the MoD's cyber headquarters in Corsham, Wiltshire. |
The headquarters is where the UK military co-ordinates their cyber activities to both prevent and to carry out cyber-attacks. | The headquarters is where the UK military co-ordinates their cyber activities to both prevent and to carry out cyber-attacks. |
Defence officials said over the last two years the UK's military had faced more than 90,000 cyber-attacks by potential adversaries. | Defence officials said over the last two years the UK's military had faced more than 90,000 cyber-attacks by potential adversaries. |
Attacks have been on the rise, as has their level of sophistication, they added. | Attacks have been on the rise, as has their level of sophistication, they added. |
Staff at Corsham said they had recently helped identify and block malware sent to UK military personnel who recently returned from working abroad. | Staff at Corsham said they had recently helped identify and block malware sent to UK military personnel who recently returned from working abroad. |
They said the source of the malware was from a "known Russian actor". | They said the source of the malware was from a "known Russian actor". |
Both Russia and China have been linked to the increase in cyber-attacks. | Both Russia and China have been linked to the increase in cyber-attacks. |
Defence officials have confirmed that the UK military has also been conducting its own offensive cyber-attacks. | Defence officials have confirmed that the UK military has also been conducting its own offensive cyber-attacks. |
Healey said it showed the nature of warfare was changing. | Healey said it showed the nature of warfare was changing. |
"The keyboard is now a weapon of war and we are responding to that," he said. | "The keyboard is now a weapon of war and we are responding to that," he said. |
He said the UK needed to be the fastest-innovating military within the Nato alliance. | He said the UK needed to be the fastest-innovating military within the Nato alliance. |
As part of the strategic defence review, the UK's military cyber operations will be overseen by a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command. | As part of the strategic defence review, the UK's military cyber operations will be overseen by a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command. |
The MoD said the Command would also take the lead in electronic warfare, from co-ordinating efforts to intercept any adversaries communications, to jamming drones. | The MoD said the Command would also take the lead in electronic warfare, from co-ordinating efforts to intercept any adversaries communications, to jamming drones. |
Healey said the extra investment being made was possible because of the government's "historic commitment" to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. | Healey said the extra investment being made was possible because of the government's "historic commitment" to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. |
However, the Nato Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, is calling on allies to increase defence spending by more than 3.5% of GDP. | However, the Nato Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, is calling on allies to increase defence spending by more than 3.5% of GDP. |