What a usable British defence budget requires

What budget does Britain need to replace ageing weapons and rebuild its armed forces?

Better prioritisation matters first; a possible range is roughly 2.2 to 3 percent of GDP, with clearer treatment of pensions and nuclear costs.

Better use of the existing budget could achieve much, although defence spending might need to rise toward roughly 2.2 to 3 percent of GDP. Charging pensions and the national nuclear deterrent directly to the Ministry of Defence distorts comparisons of usable conventional capability. This distinction separates deployable force planning from the headline budget total.