UK ramps funding for long‑range and hypersonic weapons; £500m Ukraine air‑defence package and European loitering‑munitions pact
The UK will spend over £400m in 2025/26 on long‑range and hypersonic weapons, including a £12m MoD contract to speed sovereign hypersonic development. It also announced a £500m air‑defence package for Ukraine — £150m for NATO PURL and 1,000 UK‑made missiles — while European partners agreed to co‑develop long‑range loitering munitions.