MUNITIONS FACTORIES SET TO 'DETER ADVERSARIES'

BUILDING at least six munitions and energetics factories will "better deter our adversaries", the UK's Defence Secretary, John Healey, has said as part of plans for an "always on" weapons pipeline.

- WILL DURRANT

The UK Government has pledged £1.5bn as part of the strategic defence review (SDR) to set up at least six factories, and will support the procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons.

The announcement responds to the SDR's call for an "always on" munitions production capacity that could be scaled up quickly.

Mr Healey said: "The hard-fought lessons from (Russian president Vladimir) Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.

"We are strengthening the UK's industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.