United Kingdom to invest £178bn in defence equipment and support

Textual analysis of the UK's National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015 document highlighted some common themes and shifts in the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) posture and emphasis.

"That means better equipment for special forces and a clear plan for the military to support the police in extreme circumstances like the terror attacks in Paris".

But the new national security strategy also included big cuts to the Ministry of Defence's civilian workforce, which is set to be slashed by nearly 30% to 41,000 over the next five years. The acquisition also included nine Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) submarine-hunting aircraft that will help in the protection of Britain's nuclear deterrent and also seal the crack earlier left by a decision of Nimrod spy-plane scrapping program in 2010. This includes new active electronically scanned array radars.

The Chancellor revealed yesterday that the purchase of new F35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers would be accelerated - making 24 available by 2023 rather than the previously planned eight.

The government plans to make 11 billion pounds ($17 billion) in efficiency savings in the budget for the military and intelligence services, it said in its Strategic Defense and Security Review published on Monday.

Under the defence review, some £178 billion will be spent on defence over the next decade - including an extra £12 billion on equipment than was expected.

Mr Cameron is preparing to make the case to MPs in the coming week for air strikes against IS targets in Syria.

The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund will grow to over £1.3 billion a year by the end of this Parliament and we will also create a new £1.3 billion Prosperity Fund - to drive forward our aim of promoting global prosperity and good governance.

He said: "Isil has already taken the lives of British hostages and carried out the worst attack against British people since 7/7 on the beaches of Tunisia, to say nothing of the seven terrorist plots right here in Britain that have been foiled by our security services over the past year". This time, the government has clearly understood that to stay at the cutting edge, secure our national interests and to prepare for operations in the information age, different steps needed to be taken - as demonstrated by the focus on cyber and C4ISR technologies.

Mr Corbyn was jeered by Tory MPs as he raised concerns about the security impact of issues like climate change, food security and cuts in neighbourhood policing.

Up to 20 per cent of civilian jobs could be cut, a total of around 12,000.

"We didn't dispense with it - it wasn't there", he said.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) general secretary Kate Hudson said the total cost of maintaining Britain's nuclear weapons system could now rise to a total £183 billion.

Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the manufacturers' organisation described the announcements as a welcome boost for United Kingdom defence saying that it redresses some of the capability failings which were ushered in under the 2010 Review, adding that it could particularly benefit SMEs.