A Broader Perspective on the Strategic Defence Review

The SDR represents a pivotal moment for UK Defence, taking into account the challenging geopolitical environment and the capabilities and resources the UK needs to meet current and emerging threats. Given our position as a convenor of discussion and debate between government, academia and commerce, the D Group inputted to this critical review, with five key points:?

Taking a Broader Perspective:

Defence doesn’t operate in isolation. In an increasingly multipolar world, the UK must strengthen relationships with its closest partners while carefully navigating emerging powers and new alliances.?This partnership must also extend to the private sector, where advances in AI and Machine Learning, attritable systems and satellite technologies are now all being driven. These technologies shouldn’t be looked at purely through the lens of Land, Sea and Air, but across the broader domains of space and cyber.?

Accelerating Emerging & Disruptive Technologies

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the criticality of rapid technological innovation, where an 8-week development cycle has become the new benchmark. To remain competitive, UK Defence must embrace pace - while we cannot expect to replicate the Urgent Capability Requirement process across defence procurement, incentivising pace and risk taking and experimentation is vital.?

Modernising Defence Acquisition

To keep pace with emerging technologies and ensure NATO interoperability, the UK must transition towards more agile and cost-effective systems. There is currently too much focus on measuring inputs, with less regard for outcomes. This incentivises meeting input targets rather than assessing the effectiveness of the project. These problems are being addressed in the Integrated Procurement Model and the SDR should focus on ensuring the Model’s success rather than offering a re-diagnosis or alternative view.?

Building UK Defence’s Innovation Ecosystem:

Startups, scaleups and SMEs require more than just grants—they need contracts and customers. However, they face into a proliferation of ‘innovation units’ across the ecosystem. Simplicity of structure and focus of effort are key. The creation of a singular Defence Innovation Accelerator with representation across the nation could provide the focus and support required to develop globally competitive capabilities.

Leveraging the UK’s regional strengths:

The UK has great clusters of innovation across the nation. For example, the North West's robust defence industrial base is a key asset, providing a solid foundation for both local prosperity and national security and defence. Given their size and density, they are well placed to attract and retain talent and foster a burgeoning research and startup culture. As we explored in our North-West innovation conference in partnership with Ploughshare and 英国兰卡斯特大学 , these ecosystems can be supported with more 'connective tissue' - not just through improved transport infrastructure, but in sharing access to research spaces and new networking opportunities that are all too often located in London.

These clusters also put the UK in a ‘goldilocks position’, as a leading country which is neither too big or too small – meaning it can help translate between what large powers are doing, and how we and other allies can respond.