The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) is Government policy. The DIP is a Government document which was laid before Parliament on 30 June 2026 and summarises the major investment choices the Government has made for UK Defence.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) is Government policy. The DIP is a Government document which was laid before Parliament on 30 June 2026 and summarises the major investment choices the Government has made for UK Defence.

The Royal Navy will continue to deploy warships globally in support of the United Kingdom’s defence, security and international engagement objectives. Royal Navy vessels routinely exercise their navigational rights in accordance with international law, including the right of innocent passage where applicable, and undertake port visits and defence engagement activities with allies and partners around the world.

Recent examples of Royal Navy global deployments include HMS Medway operating in the South Atlantic, HMS Trent conducting security and defence engagement activity in the United States and the Caribbean, HMS Spey and HMS Tamar maintaining the United Kingdom's persistent Indo-Pacific presence, and the UK Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales undertaking operations with NATO Allies in the North Atlantic and High North. These activities demonstrate the routine global nature of Royal Navy deployments in support of defence, security and international engagement objectives.

The 117 personnel deployed to the United States of America as part of the Royal Air Force Aerobatics Team were transported through a mix of military support aircraft, primarily A400M, and civilian aircraft. No other aircraft were deployed for the duration of the tour.

The UK and France continue to lead the Multinational Military Mission to coordinate international efforts to support restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. This includes mine clearance operations that can only begin once there is a stable security environment.

The Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across the length and breadth of the UK. The greatest proportion of these are in England, including over 9,000 jobs across Lancashire, where the majority of the production and final assembly of each Typhoon fighter jet takes place, over 2,000 in the South East, and more than 1,800 in the East Midlands. The programme also supports over 1,400 jobs in Scotland and more than 600 in Wales. Just under 100 jobs are supported in Northern Ireland.

The Hybrid Navy Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability will replace the current fleet of six Type 45 destroyers. While the Common Combat Vessel (CCV) remains in the initial stages of design, the Royal Navy’s aspiration is to sequence the arrival of the CCV and wider Hybrid Navy Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability with the out of service dates of the Type 45s in the mid-2030s onwards.

No payments are due under the terms of the UK-Mauritius agreement until the Treaty has been ratified.

The Deputy Chief of the General Staff has directed Corps and Regimental Colonels to conduct a full review of all Army associations with private members’ clubs, to ensure their rules, policies and culture align with Army values, including equality and respect. Given the breadth of the Army’s regimental structure and the potentially extensive range of historic affiliations, this work is substantial and remains ongoing.

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK’s security.

There is no specific compensation scheme for Nuclear Test Veterans and their families. Any veteran, including those of the nuclear tests, who believes they have suffered ill-health due to service has the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme if they served before 6 April 2005. War pensions are payable in respect of illness or injury as a result of service in the Armed Forces, with the benefit of reasonable doubt always given to the claimant. Decisions are medically certified and follow consideration of available service and medical evidence and carry full rights of appeal to an independent tribunal.

LED lighting is increasingly used across Royal Navy vessels reflecting its reliability, reduced maintenance requirements and improved energy efficiency. While the introduction of LED lighting within the Royal Navy is kept under constant review, lighting systems installed on Royal Navy vessels are required to comply with relevant safety and engineering standards and are designed to support the operational and welfare needs of personnel serving on board.

The Government is committed to the implementation of the Defence Investmeny Plan (DIP).

The DIP implements our ‘NATO First’ approach, placing NATO requirements and interoperability at the heart of UK capability planning. The decisions we have taken will increase the UK’s readiness for the future fight, whilst sustaining our contribution to NATO operations and deterrence activity.

The UK has provided the primary hub for NATO Distributed Synthetic Training since 2025, supporting secure and operationally relevant joint training for NATO personnel across the maritime, land and air domains.

Following the direction of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, the Ministry of Defence is developing a single virtual training environment and embedding synthetic training requirements within future procurement programmes.

This will enable personnel to train together more effectively, improve the re-use of existing capabilities, and increase interoperability with NATO Allies and partners.

This Government has ended the underfunding and hollowing out of our Armed Forces that we inherited from the last administration.

Backed by £298 billion of investment over the next four years, the Defence Investment Plan will deliver a step change in capability, transforming our Armed Forces and realising the vision set out in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review.

We have not waited for the publication of the Defence Investment Plan to take action. Since July 2024, we have awarded more than 1,400 defence contracts, with 94% of their total value going to UK-based businesses, strengthening our defence industrial base and supporting jobs and growth across the country. Last year alone, we spent more than £31 billion with UK industry – an above inflation increase in spending.

As set out in the Department's announcement of 1 April 2026, the United Kingdom and France agreed to establish a Joint Complex Weapons Portfolio Office. Work is progressing with the French Government to define, sequence and implement the most efficient arrangements required to support future UK-France Complex Weapons cooperation.

The UK MOD has an established policy for addressing Intellectual Property (IP), and all MOD projects are expected to set out a clear IP Strategy to ensure that IP is adequately protected, whilst securing maximum impact for our armed forces and value for money for the taxpayer.

The MOD will apply this policy to AI projects in the following ways:

1. Where AI technology is developed in-house by MOD research establishments, the IP in that technology will be owned by MOD and will be appropriately protected. Subject to any national security constraints, dual-use technology will be considered for exploitation in the wider economy, including through engagement with MOD’s wholly owned technology transfer company Ploughshare.

2. Where AI technology is developed by contractors on MOD’s behalf, our general policy is to leave the ownership of that technology with the contractors concerned, as they are best placed to pursue the commercial exploitation of that technology in other fields. MOD will take appropriate user rights in that technology to ensure that it can be fully exploited by our armed forces, and, subject to national security concerns, will encourage Industry to further exploit dual-use technology with other customers for the benefit of the wider economy.

Taskforce RAID is taking steps to deliver advantage in denied and degraded environments by improving our understanding of how adversaries operate in the electromagnetic environment, and by strengthening the UK’s ability to counter that activity. This work will support a real-time understanding of the electromagnetic environment, drawing on information from multiple sources to help deliver operational effect at a time and place of the UK’s choosing.

The UK has met the NATO 1.5% commitment on security and resilience, reflecting investment across civil-military capability, resilience, industrial capacity, stockpiles and support to partners.

Under the NATO definition, investment in defence infrastructure and capabilities is core defence spend. The Defence Investment Plan has set out investments over the next 10 years, including £51 billion earmarked for the Defence estate; modernising critical airbase and airfield capabilities and delivering the biggest naval upgrade for 45 years.