Starmer Warns of Heightened Military Peril, Unveils Submarine Expansion Plan

On Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that the United Kingdom would move toward a heightened state of military preparedness, pledging the construction of as many as 12 advanced attack submarines. This initiative is part of a broader strategic overhaul aimed at reinforcing the country’s defense posture amid a global landscape he described as increasingly volatile.

“The threat we now face is more serious, more immediate and more unpredictable than at any time since the Cold War,” Mr. Starmer stated during a press event, highlighting mounting risks such as “war in Europe, new nuclear risks, daily cyberattacks,” and “growing Russian aggression,” both in the air and at sea near British territory.

“I believe that the best way to deter conflict is to prepare for it,” he added while speaking from a production site in Glasgow, just prior to the anticipated release of a comprehensive defense policy review. The plan includes initiatives to boost drone manufacturing and bolster reserves of essential military hardware.

The decision to significantly enhance Britain’s defense capabilities comes as the war in Ukraine intensifies, U.S. commitment to European stability appears to wane, and overall geopolitical tensions rise. Starmer’s announcement came only hours after Ukrainian forces reportedly executed one of the largest aerial attacks of the conflict by deploying drones against Russian military airfields.

The defense review, commissioned shortly after Starmer’s election win, was spearheaded by George Robertson, a former NATO chief. The urgency of the review was further escalated by perceptions of President Trump’s wavering stance on safeguarding Europe and his unusually cordial rapport with President Vladimir V. Putin.

While the full details of the review are expected later in the day, some of its core recommendations have already been revealed. These include the acquisition of up to 7,000 domestically manufactured long-range missiles and the establishment of a new national cyber defense unit. Additionally, £1 billion has been earmarked for upgrading digital capabilities across the armed forces.

Part of the strategy involves shoring up Britain’s vulnerable undersea infrastructure and expanding its drone fleet—technologies that have proven crucial in recent military operations, especially in Ukraine.

An extra £1.5 billion will also be directed toward improving military accommodation, part of a broader effort to address the decline in army recruitment and retention, which has pushed personnel numbers to historic lows not seen since the early 19th century.

Officials emphasized that defense spending could stimulate the British economy, though concerns persist about the feasibility of funding these ambitions during a period of economic constraints.

To finance this expansion, Starmer has pledged to raise defense spending to 2.5% of the country’s gross national product, partially by reallocating funds from foreign aid. In a broadcast interview, he affirmed the need to eventually reach 3%, though he admitted that a definitive timeline depends on identifying sustainable revenue sources.

The expansion of the submarine fleet will be carried out under a trilateral security pact with the U.S. and Australia, which seeks to counterbalance China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. This pact will see the deployment of up to 12 conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Government officials have described this pivot as a “landmark shift in our deterrence and defense: moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats and strengthen security in the Euro Atlantic area.”

In his Monday remarks, Mr. Starmer reaffirmed the U.K.’s deep-rooted allegiance to NATO and its enduring alliance with North America, which he has sought to solidify by engaging closely with Mr. Trump on matters of security and commerce.

Among the bold proposals in the review is a call to explore the purchase of aircraft capable of launching tactical nuclear arms—raising questions about Britain’s reliance on the U.S. for extended nuclear deterrence.

On social media, Liberal Democrat MP and military veteran Mike Martin suggested that the direction of the review signals a diminishing confidence in the U.S. role in European defense.

He wrote: “The drop dead giveaway is the air dropped nuclear weapons,” adding that “this is a key capability that the US provides that enables nuclear escalation without going all the way up to destroying Moscow with nuclear weapons fired from our submarines.”

The United Kingdom has maintained a tradition of publishing major defense policy reviews roughly every ten years. The previous one was carried out in 2021, then refreshed in 2023.

This most recent review was guided by Lord Robertson, who was joined by Fiona Hill—formerly a key advisor in the first Trump administration—and Richard Barrons, once deputy head of Britain’s defense command. Hill, known for her expertise on Russian affairs, has publicly criticized Trump’s approach to Putin since her resignation from the U.S. National Security Council in mid-2019.

Observers expect the tone of this review to differ substantially from its predecessor, which, under Boris Johnson’s leadership, emphasized stronger U.S.-U.K. ties in a post-Brexit world. That vision has since been replaced by Starmer’s attempt to reforge relationships with the European Union.