Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Graeme Downie (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 March 2026. It was answered by Al Carns (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ukraine: Defence

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of how the battlefield experience and technological innovations developed by Ukrainian defence forces and industry could inform the United Kingdom’s own defence capabilities and operational readiness.

Answer

The Ministry of Defence continually assesses how Ukrainian battlefield innovation can inform the UK's own capabilities. The conflict has shown the need to accelerate the learn-adapt cycle, with concepts moving from design to battlefield use within weeks.

The UK is seeking to identify lessons driven by rapid collection and analysis of frontline data. Forward technical expertise and open dialogue with operators will allow industry to innovate and scale production more quickly.

There is acknowledgement of the importance of integrating UAS with traditional fires rather than seeing them as replacements. Ukraine's experience also highlights that operational surprise remains achievable through robust operational security and deception; the need for resilient Integrated Air and Missile Defence built on multiple effectors; and the imperative to train for contested and degraded electromagnetic environments.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
119695
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Defence Armed conflict Innovation Ukraine Technology
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk