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Nick Gutteridge – The Telegraph June 1, 2025

Defence Secretary John Healey inspects a Storm Shadow cruise missile being assembled in a weapons plant

Britain will move to a constant state of readiness for war by building six new bomb factories, the Defence Secretary will announce this week.

John Healey will on Monday unveil plans to spend £1.5 billion on massively ramping up Britain’s production of artillery shells and explosives.

He will also commit to buying 7,000 long-range weapons after military bosses warned that the UK no longer has has an effective fighting force.

The announcement will be made as ministers publish a Strategic Defence Review which will set out the future of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

One of the key measures being taken will be the switch to an “always on” approach to munitions supply so Britain is constantly ready for war.

At least six weapons factories will be built across the country with the capacity to massively ramp up production should a conflict break out

Ministers have drawn lessons from the war in Ukraine which has seen both sides expend huge numbers of artillery shells, rockets and drones.

Britain has significantly depleted its own stockpile of weapons by donating missiles, air defence systems, artillery shells and tanks to Kyiv.

Last year ministers warned that the regular Army could be wiped out in as little as six months should the UK be dragged into a major conflict.

Mr Healey said: “The hard-fought lessons from Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.

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