Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP praised the UK defence sector’s growth during his speech at the ADS Annual Dinner 2026, citing a £100 billion combined turnover and 460,000 jobs. He emphasized the need for increased defence spending, aiming for 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 5% by 2035. Pollard announced £7.5 billion in funding for SMEs by 2028 and a 10% equipment budget allocation for novel technologies. He called for industry collaboration to enhance supply chain efficiency and innovation, while addressing cyber threats and Ukraine-related security challenges. The speech underscored the government’s commitment to modernizing defence capabilities and fostering partnerships to meet evolving global threats.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/minister-pollard-speech-at-ads-annual-dinner-2026
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