Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Britain, announced on November 19 that the country would be investing in its biggest defense venture since the Thatcher era. The funding, roughly $8.7 billion, will go towards a new program that seeks to combine its intelligence forces and push technological advancements within the military. The British signals-intelligence service and Britain’s National Cyber Force will likely be at the center of the military overhaul and reform.
The money will fund projects such as naval ship developments, the sending of an aircraft carrier to Asia in 2021, and a Space Command force to detect satellite threats. The plan reverses almost a decade of military cuts and aims to solidify Britain’s position as the second-largest military spender in NATO and the largest in Europe. Britain will boast a military budget of £46.5 billion this year.
Read More: Britain assembles a new cyber force of soldiers and spies
