UK Spending More on Defence But Getting Less Bang for Its Buck

Britain committed 4.2% of GDP to defence in June 2026, ranking among NATO's largest spenders. Yet a BBC analysis found this spending delivers weaker military capability than equivalent budgets did in the 1980s. The culprit isn't tight purse strings but bloated procurement processes and acquisition delays. Whether new funding finally translates into deployable forces depends on whether the government can fix how it buys and delivers weapons systems.