Future Capability of the Armed Forces

Baroness Helic Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Helic (Con)]

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Harlech on introducing this debate. I join other noble Lords in wishing the right reverend Prelate the best for the future and in thanking him for his work and his valedictory speech.

I begin by commending the Lord Speaker’s lecture, delivered by the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, yesterday evening. I encourage all noble Lords to read it, if they have not already. He posed a fundamental question: is Britain really safe? His answer was very clear: the threats that we face are real, they are growing, and meeting them will require urgency, resilience and sustained national resolve.

Our Armed Forces, regular and reserves, remain among the finest anywhere. But the question is not the quality of those who serve but whether they are being given the equipment, support, resources and training they need. The strategic defence review, led by the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, recognised that Britain is responding to an immediate and growing threat, not preparing for a distant possibility. The Government’s acceptance of the recommendations is welcome. The challenge remains delivering on them at the pace that the security environment demands.

The Prime Minister has warned that Russia could pose a direct challenge to NATO before the end of this decade, a view echoed by NATO’s secretary-general. If that is the Government’s assessment, procurement and investment must reflect it. Yet some priority capabilities are not expected until the early 2030s. Every delay narrows our margin for deterrence.

The war in Ukraine has reinforced enduring lessons. Technological advantage remains essential, but so are ammunition, logistics, industrial capacity and the ability to sustain operations over time. Tomorrow’s technology cannot compensate for today’s shortages. Deterrence depends on forces that are trained, equipped and ready and on a resilient defence industrial base. Production cannot be expended overnight, skilled workers cannot be created in a crisis, and supply chains cannot be rebuilt once conflict has begun. Industry needs confidence that government decisions will be timely, consistent and backed by long-term commitment. As the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, has warned, we are running out of years. If the threats are accelerating, our response must accelerate too.

National security is not solely a Ministry of Defence responsibility. It also depends on a resilient energy supply, secure communication, cyber resilience and the protection of critical national infrastructure. Defence is now a whole of government and whole of society responsibility, requiring an honest conversation with the British people about national preparedness. Our allies will judge us, and our adversaries will too, not by the quality of our reviews but by our ability to deliver them. Britain’s influence rests on credibility, demonstrating that when we identify a threat, we have the resolve and the means to respond. Preparing for conflict is not about expecting war but preventing it. The stronger our deterrence, the less likely it is to be tested.

I have several questions for the Minister. First, what concrete steps are being taken to accelerate the implementation of the strategic defence review so that delivery matches the urgency of the threats we face? Secondly, how will the Government ensure that our Armed Forces have the equipment, munitions and industrial support they need before the end of this decade rather than after it? Thirdly, what are the Government doing to give the defence industry the confidence to invest in skills, production and innovation so that it can respond rapidly in a crisis? Finally, when will Parliament see a credible pathway to defence spending that matches today’s security challenges and enables the ambitions of the review to be realised?

Britain retains exceptional Armed Forces, world-class intelligence services, innovative defence industries and alliances that remain the cornerstone of our security. We understand the threats we face, and we know what we must do. The question now is whether we will deliver in time.