Written question asked by Stuart Anderson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 16 July 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Air Force: Finance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 45 of his department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, whether the £70 billion for new capabilities in the air domain from 2030 and 2035 is currently planned in the budget.

Answer: The Defence Investment Plan restated the government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 3% in the next Parliament, with funding and plans to be set out at the next spending review where defence will be the number one priority. Consistent with these ambitions, the Defence Investment Plan specifies the plan to invest at least £70 billion in new air domain capabilities between 2030 and 2035. These figures reflect current planning assumptions and future investment requirements, with expenditure continuing to be considered through the Ministry of Defence’s regular planning and budget-setting processes.

Secondary information