Overview
- Luke Pollard used a Farnborough keynote to present the Defence Investment Plan as a long-term demand signal for industry and investors.
- The plan allocates £31 billion to air and space and increases funding for drones and uncrewed systems to £5 billion while ring‑fencing a £400 million annual innovation budget.
- Pollard cited concrete industrial measures including a £20 million hypersonics contract to Lockheed Martin UK, a defence SME action plan, and promises that most major contracts will go to UK firms.
- He teased imminent decisions on the Global Combat Air Programme and the Storm Fighter uncrewed combat aircraft programme but gave no final programme timelines.
- Officials still face a material funding shortfall and MoD efficiency targets that will force programme trade‑offs and political choices with real consequences for shipyards, suppliers and frontline readiness.