The work of rebuilding the Armed Forces has begun but it will take time - Luke Pollard

If we are to get Britain’s fighting forces fit to deter our adversaries, and defeat them if necessary, we must be ready for the profound step-changes in warfare that we are seeing in our increasingly fast-evolving, volatile, and contested world.

We need to be a truly integrated force, equipped for ‘all domain warfare’. Multi domain integration (MDI) is not enough. I see MDI as a journey that takes us to a destination. That destination is all domain warfare, where to win we control space, cyber, electronic spectrums, as well as air, land and sea in a single joined up approach.

That is the change that we are determined to bring to defence, to support those people in defence who are already working on that.

If we ever needed reminding about the outstanding work that our servicemen and women of our air, space and cyber forces do, then 2024 has given us plenty of examples.

From protecting UK and NATO airspace 24/7/365, to operating seamlessly with allies to conduct precision strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen; intercepting Iranian missiles and drones launched against Israel.

From training Ukrainian F-16 pilots and lighting up the sky for the anniversary of D-Day to thwarting countless cyber attacks; getting crucial humanitarian aid into Gaza, and conducting major exercises with NATO, and our other allies around the world. Showing that NATO is joined-up, capable and ready.

They’ve also kept our comms systems and intelligence secure and strengthened our alliances that help protect our national interests right round the globe.

Over recent years, the new Defence Secretary, John Healey, and myself, have raised concerns about real term Government cuts, and its inability to fund existing plans.

I’ve raised concerns about force size and capabilities; about readiness and resilience; about the state of defence facilities and the appalling state of military housing that we ask our Armed Forces personnel and their families to live in; and about the state of retention and recruitment.

And regardless of how much I would like to be able to address all these challenges overnight, we know it will take time.

But the work of change has begun across Government and that includes in the Ministry of Defence.

The Prime Minister has laid out an ambitious, yet deliverable path, towards rebuilding our Armed Forces, built on public service and collaboration and a clear understanding that defence is the first duty of any Government.

And that started with the Strategic Defence Review, that he announced on Tuesday.

That review will be overseen by the Defence Secretary and led by former NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson.

An abridged version of a speech by Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, at the Global Air & Space Chiefs' Conference 2024.