UK

Star Trek science for troops safeguarded

Billions of pounds of funding to drive forward cutting edge defence technology to give frontline troops the edge in battle is to be ring-fenced.

A Government White Paper - National Security Through Technology - sets out how the Government will provide the best equipment for the Armed Forces and security services.

Crucially it calls for the defence science and technology budget to be protected, allowing the Ministry of Defence to sustain spending at 1.2 per cent of its total annual budget.

The MOD is investing more than £150 billion in military equipment over the next decade.

Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology, Peter Luff, said: “Our Armed Forces must continue to have innovative, high-technology equipment to give them a battle-winning edge, so we will support the development of defence technology directly and protect the amount we spend.

"We had to take tough decisions to tackle the £38bn blackhole this Government inherited, but we are now close to achieving a sustainable and balanced budget for the first time in decades. This will mean we can start ordering new equipment for the Armed Forces with confidence and will help provide the clarity industry needs to invest in the right areas.

The White Paper, along with the MOD’s 10-year equipment plan – to be published later this year - will set out in detail the military equipment programme the Government will undertake and how it will work with industry.