The UK must expand its military footprint in the Arctic and north as the region becomes increasingly contested for sea ice to begin access. The government’s defense review will be advised.
The document, according to those familiar with it, is expected to call for large investments in drones and cutting-edge technologies against the backdrop of a new era of national conflict.
This review confirms the “NATO-first” approach to UK defense, prioritizing the safety of Britain’s own backyards in the Euro-Atlantic region and fulfilling its obligations to the alliance.
Defense Secretary John Healy has previously been corning the last “sloping” of the conservative administration over the Indo-Pacific in its defense and foreign policy.
The review, led by an independent team led by former NATO executive director George Robertson Lord, was asked to look into the threats Britain faces, the capabilities needed to meet them, and the military’s status.
John Healy, left, Robertson Lord©Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
This review has been heavily influenced by US President Donald Trump’s changing security policies, including his intention to reduce the military resources of the European-based US.
There was a dispute over the timing of the publication of the reviews the government promised for the first half of 2025. It has been described as a “repetitive process” by defense officials, and the fourth version was submitted to the minister on March 10, people familiar with the matter said.
Focusing on the Atlantic region, people said this review would recommend strengthening British military operations in the north, including the Arctic.
The melting of ice opens new transport routes and makes them more accessible, spanning the region’s abundant natural resources, oil, gas, minerals and rare earth metals. This sparked a race for influence and control among rivals, including the US, Russia, China and Northern European countries.
The UK has already expressed concern about the escalation of militarization in the Russian region, and Healy traveled to Norway in February to discuss increasing its security.
Meanwhile, Trump has put pressure on Denmark to hand over control of the Arctic Greenland Island to the United States, sparking a diplomatic line.
3rd Battalion Swedish Snowmobile Ranger Regiment Patrol ©Sgt Robert Weideman/UK Mod Crown Copyright
The recent development of snowmobiles into the Arctic with mods “suggested the direction of travel,” an industry expert said.
Ed Arnold, a senior European security researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, said the UK is under pressure from Nordic allies who are concerned about the US stance to provide more difficult military capabilities to the north.
“They hope that they will deploy a full military presence there, as they are only ones that can ease the US, where we reassign some of their resources to the Indo-Pacific, in terms of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance assets, anti-submarine warfare and more,” Arnold said.
Deploying more assets and personnel north would be built up heavily on the work of previous conservative administrations. Former Tory Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace set up a new Arctic strategy in 2022. This explained the threat without committing new investments.
Industry executives said the consensus is widespread that the Royal Navy will secure more investments than the British Army for the review. The message from NATO countries in Eastern Europe was that they didn’t need land support, but the RAF and naval capabilities were important, they said.
From ice and gas to minerals and rare earths, the ice melts and ice melts, making transport routes open. ©PO Arron Hoare/UK Mod Crown Copyright
This review is expected to confirm that investment in the Global Combat Air Programme, an initiative between the UK, Italy and Japan, will encourage investment in the Global Combat Air Programme, an initiative to create sixth generation stealth fighter jets.
Keir Starmer ir vowed to increase from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5% from 2027 to 2.5% of GDP, worth £600 million a year, but the pledge has not reached the 2.65% that the UK military chief seeks.
Investments in traditional platforms such as ships, jets and land vehicles need to balance the development of new unmanned aircraft and maritime systems and other new technologies.
It is also set to encourage further work on strengthening reserves with Cadet forces and improving the Ministry of Defense links with FIT and trained veterans in the event of a conflict.
Ministers have planned a “wide society” approach, with some officials calling for a more focus on democratic values, national resilience and defense of school curricula.
This review is also expected to investigate the structuring of UK cyber personnel across Signals Intelligence Agency GCHQ, the Ministry of Defense’s national cyber forces, and other government forces.
Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) Life-large model of stealth fighters © Jonathan Brady/PA
According to people familiar with the planning, the idea is not to create a common command like “cosmic power” in the United States, but to reconstruct and streamline the units, so they don’t try to steal each other’s people, but have a “common ingestion mechanism.”
Some defences are trying to secure a new defence agreement at the May 19th summit, and are pushing for reviews to be released early next month ahead of the UK and the EU to make a positive impact on the NATO meeting on June 24th.
Other officials said it was in line with the Treasury expenditure review and a broad security strategy led by national security adviser Jonathan Powell.
The mod refused to comment on “speculation,” but “it was designed to be open to the public as quickly as possible, as it was designed to “see the threats we face and the capabilities we need to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”
Additional Reports by Helen Worrell
