UK's Defence Spending Problem: More Money, Stuck Systems

Two senior UK defence officials resigned in June 2026 over a troubling gap: spending on defence is rising, yet actual military capability isn't growing. The reason isn't lack of funds—it's institutional paralysis. The military clings to aging programmes while avoiding hard cancellations, starving newer projects. Most NATO allies face the same trap: converting budget increases into real capability demands stopping projects that don't work.