Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Timothy and Paul Holmes

Monday 3rd November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con)]

7. What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to procure drones for the armed forces.

[Paul Holmes (Hamble Valley) (Con)]

23. What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to procure drones for the armed forces.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Al Carns)]

The very reason that I left the military was because the lessons from Ukraine, particularly around uncrewed systems, were not being learned within our military. The drone architecture was exceptionally limited, despite our watching a revolution in the character of conflict for about two years. Since then, the strategic defence review has stepped in, with £4 billion for autonomous systems and a new defence uncrewed systems centre. Training, tactics, procedures, doctrine and concepts are all changing to inculcate uncrewed systems.