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Written question asked by Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Friday, 10 April 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 April 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Monday, 20 April 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to integrate lessons from operational innovation in Ukraine into UK defence procurement and research strategy.

Answer

One of the key lessons for the Ministry of Defence from the war in Ukraine is the importance of pace and technical innovation in procurement if our Armed Forces are to retain an edge over, and therefore deter, our adversaries.

Ongoing reforms across the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group are putting these lessons into practice. For example, the new segmented approach to procurement tailors acquisition processes according to the type of capability, supplier and risk involved, speeding delivery. Similarly, the Accelerating Commercial Pathways and Commercial X programmes are reducing the time taken to complete commercial processes and get procurements on contract.

With the creation of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) we have put innovation at the centre of defence procurement. With a ring-fenced budget, UKDI will ensure we are able to quickly acquire the cutting-edge capabilities our Armed Forces need to keep pace with the evolving nature of warfare.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
124523
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Defence Armed conflict Innovation Procurement Research Ukraine Small businesses Technology
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk