The £490 million allocated within the Defence Investment Plan for Directed Energy Weapons supports the development of both laser-directed energy weapons, including the DragonFire system, and Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapons.

The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract valued at £316 million (excluding VAT) for the procurement of two DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon units. This contract forms part of the overall funding allocation for Directed Energy Weapons within the four-year Defence Investment Plan.

However, the Ministry does not disclose the precise breakdown of funding between individual Directed Energy Weapon technologies or programmes. This is to protect commercial interests and to ensure the Department's ability to secure value for money in future procurement activities is not compromised.

The financial savings in ammunition will depend on the operational employment of the capability.

The Government recognises that orbital weapons, both kinetic and non-kinetic, pose a growing threat to critical space-based services vital to the UK and its allies. We are concerned by reports of efforts to deploy nuclear weapons in space, which would be highly destabilising and contrary to international law. The Government supports a behaviour-based, risk-reduction approach to maintain a safe, secure and sustainable space environment. We work closely with international partners to promote responsible conduct, uphold existing legal frameworks and prevent escalation.

Through the UK Space Strategy and Defence Investment Plan, the Government is investing in the resilience and protection of UK; and allied space assets to ensure freedom of action in space; and safeguard long-term sustainability. We remain committed to international cooperation and the development of norms that reduce risk and preserve stability in this increasingly contested domain.

We do not comment on specific Defence capabilities, including whether such capabilities are deployed in space, nor on future operational plans where doing so would risk undermining national security. We do however recognise that space is important to military operations and is becoming more congested, contested, and competitive. The Government is committed to collaborating with allies and partners to promote internationally agreed norms, avoid unintentional escalation and conflict, and ensure that space remains open, safe, and sustainable.

In addition, the UK's national security depends on freedom of action in space, including the ability to protect UK and allied space assets. As set out in the UK Space Strategy and Defence Investment Plan, the Government is investing in capabilities to strengthen resilience and support the protection of UK interests in space, while continuing to operate responsibly and in accordance with international law.

Consideration of the most appropriate gun solution for the Fleet Solid Support ships is ongoing.

As recommended by the Strategic Defence Review, Defence is reviewing standards, regulations and processes to remove unnecessary burdens that can constrain delivery, increase costs and slow the development, support and training associated with military capability. This work is focused on simplifying and streamlining requirements, removing duplication and unnecessary process, and clarifying which standards are mandatory, while maintaining appropriate safety, security and operational requirements.

Any changes will be targeted and risk-based, with appropriate governance and assurance. Safety, security and statutory requirements will continue to apply where they are essential to protecting personnel, equipment and operational effectiveness.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 November 2025 to Question 85997. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-10-28/85997.

Previous delays have been overcome through a revised plan of combined USA and UK based testing, with final elements of safe separation trials concluding in the USA in June 2026 and further UK testing being conducted in August 2026. Paveway IV has been operationally available since March 2026. Brimstone 3 trial data is undergoing necessary analysis required prior to issuance of operational clearances.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) directed the Army to increase its lethality tenfold by 2035. To support this ambition, the Army is transitioning towards a 20/40/40 fighting system, comprising a mix of survivable crewed platforms, attritable systems and consumable effectors.

The transition is already underway, with current effort focused on rapidly scaling the attritable elements and the accelerated adoption of autonomous and uncrewed systems. The Department does not currently define a single date at which the 20/40/40 mix will be deemed achieved; rather, it is being delivered progressively as part of the wider modernisation of the Army and implementation of the SDR.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to Ben Obese-Jecty MP on 5 November 2025 to question 85997.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-10-28/85997

The Fleet Solid Support (FSS) Automatic Small Calibre Gun requirement, which formed part of the manufacture contract with Navantia UK, has been removed from the contract as it is no longer aligned with the Royal Navy's (RN) most likely future gun solution. The RN gun rationalisation programme, introduced since the FSS manufacture contract was placed, aims to reduce the number of gun variants and bring commonality across the RN's Fleet, providing longer term value for money.

Although this decision has resulted in some financial loss, changing the requirement now avoids incurring greater losses at a later stage, associated with fitting and then replacing an incompatible system. The FSS ships will now be designed to accept a range of future gun systems that will enhance our warfighting readiness and deterrence.

The £20 billion of planned investment in new weapons and munitions between 2030 and 2035 reflects the Department's current planning assumptions for the period beyond the present Spending Review settlement.

Detailing funding for investments beyond 2029-30 will be set out as part of future Spending Reviews and subsequent budget-setting processes in the usual way.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) commits £490 million to Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) over the next four years. This investment will deliver DragonFire and help ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this technology within NATO, while laying the groundwork for the next generation of DEW capabilities in collaboration with UK industry.

This forms part of a longer-term investment programme. The DIP also sets out plans to invest at least £20 billion in new weapons and munitions between 2030 and 2035, including DEW for both land and maritime platforms.

Further announcements on DEW will be made when appropriate.

The details of the F-35A procurement, including weapons embodiment, are yet to be defined.

The details of the F-35A procurement, including weapons embodiment, are yet to be defined.

The continued investment referred to in the Defence Investment Plan is the replacement personal weapon system for the Army under Project GRAYBURN which 16 air Assault Brigade will receive alongside the remainder of the Army. This is in addition to the specialist personal weapons procured for the Commando Force and Rangers, which are now covered by full support contracts. These will be combined with the enhanced generation of surveillance and target acquisition equipment that are critical to increasing lethality.

Project STOKES aims to examine options to provide the UK Armed Forces with close indirect fire support, including suppression and precision strike, across all operational environments. It intends to support highly mobile forces and help meet the UK’s Very High Readiness and Light Forces commitments. The project intends to rapidly assess mature market options and identify the most suitable 120mm mortar to replace the Army’s 105mm light gun and 81mm mortar, both of which are due to leave service around 2030. However, Project STOKES is currently paused pending future decisions on prioritisation, resourcing and funding.