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PM announces £1.1bn defence spending | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Spending of £1.1bn on defence is to be announced by the prime minister later. | |
Speaking at the Farnborough International Air Show, he will outline investments of £800m for a new surveillance package and £300m for a new ice patrol ship and radar. | |
There will also be cash for drones, UK special forces and intelligence gathering to tackle global terrorism. | |
Funds for "vital" Ministry of Defence programmes have been found as a result of austerity measures, he will say. | |
'Defend the realm' | 'Defend the realm' |
The money is not new, BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt says, but the MOD has been allowed to keep what it failed to spend in its 2012/13 budget. | |
Some of the funds should help to reprieve the RAF's Sentinel spy-plane until at least 2018, our correspondent added. | Some of the funds should help to reprieve the RAF's Sentinel spy-plane until at least 2018, our correspondent added. |
The plane had been due to retire early after cuts made in the government's defence review in 2010. | The plane had been due to retire early after cuts made in the government's defence review in 2010. |
That review has since seen more than 12,000 service personnel made redundant. | That review has since seen more than 12,000 service personnel made redundant. |
But writing in the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister said the government had been fixing the "mess" left by the previous government. | But writing in the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister said the government had been fixing the "mess" left by the previous government. |
And pointing to how "the threats we face have changed utterly in 30 years", he said the UK "cannot defend the realm from the white cliffs of Dover". | And pointing to how "the threats we face have changed utterly in 30 years", he said the UK "cannot defend the realm from the white cliffs of Dover". |
He said it was a "national necessity" to have "modern, technological, advanced and flexible armed forces" to advance British interests. | He said it was a "national necessity" to have "modern, technological, advanced and flexible armed forces" to advance British interests. |
The funding includes £800m of investment in an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance package. | The funding includes £800m of investment in an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance package. |
Downing Street says it will boost special forces' ability to tackle global terrorism and hostage taking. | Downing Street says it will boost special forces' ability to tackle global terrorism and hostage taking. |
About £300m will go towards projects including a new electronic radar for the RAF's Typhoon jets, and the purchase of the Ice Patrol Ship HMS Protector. | About £300m will go towards projects including a new electronic radar for the RAF's Typhoon jets, and the purchase of the Ice Patrol Ship HMS Protector. |
Mr Cameron is also set to detail longer-term plans to boost the UK's defence sector, which increased exports last year by 11% to almost £10bn. | Mr Cameron is also set to detail longer-term plans to boost the UK's defence sector, which increased exports last year by 11% to almost £10bn. |