Dan Jarvis MBE MP, speaking at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference just twelve days into the role, set out his priorities for the Defence Investment Plan and signalled major investment in autonomous systems, deep strike capability and the modernisation of UK land forces.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP has delivered his first major public address since taking office, telling the RUSI Land Warfare Conference in London that he is working to finalise and publish the Defence Investment Plan before travelling to the NATO summit in Ankara in July, and that the plan will mean “more money added on top” of what is already the largest increase in the annual defence budget in living memory.
Jarvis, who replaced John Healey following Healey’s resignation over the level of funding on offer, was candid about the scale of the task he has inherited. He told delegates that the government had come to office to find “almost every single major programme behind schedule, delayed upgrades to our nuclear deterrent, and an army at its smallest size in centuries,” adding that “there is no overnight remedy” and that the British public deserved honesty about the state of national security.
Despite that inheritance, the Defence Secretary was clear that investment is moving in one direction. He confirmed that the annual defence budget is now eleven billion pounds higher than when the government entered office, and that the DIP will add further resource on top of the two hundred and seventy billion already committed to defence over the course of this Parliament. He also indicated that next year’s spending review would see defence as “the number one priority.” On NATO commitments, he reaffirmed the UK’s pledge to reach 3.5% of GDP by 2035, telling the conference he had given that guarantee personally to the NATO Secretary General the previous week.
The speech gave the clearest public signal yet of where DIP investment will flow. Jarvis was emphatic on the strategic importance of autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and uncrewed platforms, stating that these “are no longer capabilities of the future” and “will receive investment that reflects their strategic importance.” He pointed directly to uncrewed ground vehicles as part of the Army’s next-generation land force requirements, endorsing General Walker’s modernisation programme and promising the DIP will “make real those ambitions.” At the same time, he pushed back against calls to divest entirely from conventional capability, arguing that a “flexible, hybrid, integrated force” able to operate across all domains remains essential, and that deep precision strike and artillery have proven their continued value in Ukraine.
Jarvis also addressed industry directly, acknowledging that “recent months haven’t been easy” and expressing gratitude for the role the defence industrial base plays, not only in equipping the armed forces but in sustaining communities and livelihoods across the country. He committed to scrutinising every line of defence spend and signalled that the DIP will include significant savings alongside new investment, reflecting the broader obligation to “spend more” but also to “spend wisely.”
For supply chain businesses, the speech offers a clearer sense of where DIP-driven demand will be concentrated in the near term, from autonomous and uncrewed systems through to deep strike, land platform modernisation, and the sustainment of a force being prepared for a wider range of contingencies than at any point in recent decades.
Relevant capability areas for businesses seeking to engage with DIP-driven procurement include:
- Autonomous and uncrewed ground, air and maritime systems
- Artificial intelligence and defence technology integration
- Deep precision strike and artillery systems
- Land platform manufacture and modernisation
- Maintenance, repair and overhaul across all domains
- Defence research, development and innovation
- Supply chain resilience and SME prime contractor engagement
Image: UK MOD © Crown copyright 2026
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Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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