The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed it will invest more than £4 billion (about US$ 5.4 billion) in autonomous and unmanned military systems during this parliamentary term.
The announcement is part of a major shift in how the United Kingdom Armed Forces will fight future wars, according to the UK Defence Journal website.
The funding was detailed in a written parliamentary response to align with the recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review, which called for a rapid transformation of the forces.
The plan is to implement the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems in key roles across the land, maritime, and air domains.
Maria Eagle, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, stated that the UK will increasingly adopt a “mix of high and low-end capabilities,” combining cutting-edge manned platforms with more affordable unmanned systems to increase combat mass and resilience.
However, the minister refused to specify how many unmanned systems are currently in service or how many will be acquired over the next three years. According to her, “more details will be defined as part of the Defence Investment Plan.”
Photo and video: UK Air Force. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
