Strategic Defence Review aims to ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has launched a "root and branch" Strategic Defence Review which will be overseen by Defence Secretary John Healey.

Mr Healey said the review would consider the threats we face, the capabilities we need and the resources available.

With a new era requiring a new type of review, the Strategic Defence Review is being headed by three external reviewers - a first of its kind for UK defence.

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It will be led by former defence secretary and Nato secretary general Lord Robertson, who used the launch of the review to warn of the threats faced from the "deadly quartet" of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Working alongside Lord Robertson will be former US presidential advisor Dr Fiona Hill and General Sir Richard Barrons, a former commander of Joint Forces Command and former deputy chief of the defence staff 

The review will consult serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans, MPs of all parties, civilians across defence, academia, industry and allies, especially in Nato.

Defence correspondents are also being invited to share their thoughts.

The Strategic Defence Review is expected to report back in the first half of next year.

The announcement comes after Sir Keir reaffirmed his commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product at the Nato summit in Washington last week.

However the specific timeline to his "cast iron" guarantee has not yet been set.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the review aims to strengthen UK homeland security, bolster Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and modernise and maintain the nuclear deterrent.

But when the Defence Secretary was pressed about immediate decisions on things like defence accommodation and decisions outside of the review, he told Forces News: "We will not sit back and simply wait for the review recommendations to report.

"There are immediate challenges we must face and on which we must act."

Mr Healey was referring to the recruitment and retention crisis facing defence.

"There are a number of things we must decide and deal with in advance of and alongside the reviewers doing their work," he added.