The plan assigns £390 million over four years to defence-industry and procurement reform within a programme totalling about £297.7 billion. It also provides £80 million for additional defence skills courses across colleges and universities, a sum questioned against the cost of provision at multiple institutions. AI and autonomy funding rises from £380 million in the current year to £700 million in the next, then to £1.2 billion and £1.3 billion in the two later years. The criticism is that the larger future allocations remain open to change by later governments. That makes the immediate funding position a firmer guide to delivery than promises of substantial growth in subsequent years.
Chapter · 5:18:50-5:25:36
Industry reform is thinly funded and technology money is backloaded
Small industry and skills allocations sit beside steep later-year increases for AI and autonomy that future governments remain free to change.