The British military needs to advance the development and deployment of new technologies most useful in the modern battlefield, according to Royal Navy Adm. Tony Radakin, chief of the defense staff at the U.K. Ministry of Defence.
In his keynote speech at the 2023 Defence and Security Equipment International trade show on Thursday, Radakin said that while the United Kingdom boasts one of the most powerful and modern militaries in the world, its armed forces have yet to take full advantage of emerging technologies.
He added that integrating next-generation capabilities into the U.K. military should figure prominently in the government’s plan to invest over $740 billion to transform the British armed forces over the next 10 years.
In his keynote, the admiral, the chief military adviser to the prime minister and secretary of state for defense, also urged the government to collaborate with industry in pursuing the armed forces’ modernization efforts.
Close partnerships will ensure that the U.K. government’s technology investments will produce the best outcome to support the mission of protecting the country and promoting its prosperity, Radakin told the DSEI participants.
With advanced technology, the U.K. can better respond to threats by developing an integrated air and missile defense system. Technology will also enable the British military to better coordinate with the intelligence community, he added.