Want to be ready for war in 1,000 days? Fix procurement, peers urge in new report

The government must quickly forge a new relationship with defence industry if the UK is to be ready to fight in 1,000 days, according to a House of Lords committee.

The new report from the cross-party Industry and Regulators Committee follows the defence secretary’s warning that the UK needs to be ready to fight or deter military action in under three years.

It calls for a "significant shift in the culture" in the way the MOD procures new technology.

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Building a better relationship with the defence industry 

The publication, 'Ready for action in 1,000 days? Forging a new partnership between Government and the defence industry,' urges rapid transformation to meet emerging threats with action.

It highlights quicker procurement processes, a less risk-averse approach to new technologies, an easier route for small or medium-sized firms to become MOD suppliers and the required worker training.

In essence, the committee wants to see the government move faster on a key theme from this Strategic Defence Review – to build a better relationship with the industry building its equipment.

This year’s document intended to outline the funding for SDR programmes, the Defence Investment Plan, was delayed for months.

In June, Andrew Kinniburgh, Director-General at the trade association Make UK Defence, described a 'paralysis' throughout the industry ahead of the publication, during which large manufacturers were unable to commit to building in the UK.

It is understood some firms hoping to operate as MOD suppliers failed to survive the delay, and this report is calling for a clear multi-year pipeline to allow greater predictability for businesses and their investors.

Unmanned system capacity 

The committee also wants to see sufficient industrial capacity to produce and adapt unmanned systems in the event of conflict.

Baroness Hayter, Chair of the Industry and Regulators Committee said: "Last year the Strategic Defence Review called for a new relationship between government and the defence industry to reflect the urgency of rebuilding the UK’s defence strength to meet the challenges and changing nature of warfare demonstrated so clearly by the war in Ukraine."

"Whilst we welcome recognition of the need for change within the Ministry of Defence, it must accelerate, embrace new technologies and enhance the role of SMEs, whilst ensuring the skilled workforce needed to deliver this change.

"With ongoing threats from Russia and other malign actors, the Government must show the necessary leadership and move at pace to achieve the Defence Secretary’s target of being ready for action within 1,000 days and use the 1 December Defence Investment Summit to provide certainty to business to drive the new partnership forward."