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UK Prepares for War Era With $20 Billion Nuclear Overhaul and Submarine Fleet

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
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UK Prepares for War Era With $20 Billion Nuclear Overhaul and Submarine Fleet
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a visit to the BAE Systems'Govan facility in Glasgow, Scotland on June 2, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a sweeping reform of the British Armed Forces, signaling a strategic shift toward “war-fighting readiness” amid rising global threats and mounting instability.

This was reported by Bloomberg on June 2.

The plan includes a $20 billion investment in the country’s nuclear warhead program and the construction of up to 12 submarines as part of the AUKUS security partnership with the United States and Australia.

“We are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces,” stated Prime Minister.

Britain’s long-anticipated defense review comes amid growing uncertainty over the United States’ long-term security commitments to Europe, particularly in the context of renewed Russian aggression and shifting geopolitical dynamics under Donald Trump’s presidency. In response, the UK government has announced plans to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, up from the current 2.3%.

“I believe that the best way to deter conflict is to prepare for it,” Starmer said at a media conference on, ahead of the release of the government’s strategic defense review that will outline plans to ramp up production of drones and increase stockpiles of munitions and equipment.

According to Bloomberg, the review risks being overshadowed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s lack of clarity on when the UK will raise defense spending to 3% of GDP—a target that still falls short of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s call for member states to allocate at least 3.5% to core defense capabilities.

Earlier, United Kingdom had entered negotiations with the United States to acquire F-35A fighter jets equipped to carry B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs.

Approved by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the move represents the most significant shift in Britain’s nuclear deterrence strategy since the Cold War.

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