What does Global Britain Stand and Fall for?
Today's Integrated Review rightly prioritises the changes required across Defence. It emphasises the importance of technology, especially around data and information, highlights the urgent need to transform, and explains how the future battlespace will differ from today.
It also details how "China's growing international stature is by far the most significant geopolitical factor in the world today. The fact that China is an authoritarian state with different values presents challenges for the UK and our allies. China will contribute more to global growth than any other country in the next decade with benefits to the global economy."
The Review highlights Russia's obvious threat, based on its previous aggression in Ukraine, as an "acute threat to our security. Until relations with its government improve, we will actively deter and defend against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia."
The Review also emphasises the need for a digital backbone to gain an information advantage in multi-domain operations over our adversaries. What this advantage looks like or how we will achieve it will become clearer shortly.
According to the Review, the future is obvious:
more technology,
an immediate threat from Russia, and
a global shift towards China.
A problem-solving and burden-sharing nation with a global perspective
Most importantly, the Review describes a strategic intent that defines what the UK stands for and the strategic goals we want to achieve. It champions the UK as a global power stretching from Portsmouth to the Pacific. It also stresses the importance of narrative and utilising information for success.
A successful strategy for a global power cannot define itself purely by reacting to events beyond its control or responding to another's strategic activities. It cannot be reactive to Chinese growth or merely respond to Russian aggression after it happens. The UK cannot hope to benefit from events that it does not anticipate.
Our approach must explain more: "What does the UK stand for?"
Some people may take this strategic vision for granted. Their argument that the logic of Palmerston still applies, "Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow."
It may also seem old fashioned to highlight beliefs like democracy, free speech, universal education, open trade, universal rights, or fairness, as the Prime Minister does in the Review.
Alternatively, it may seem too modern to champion access to information, a free internet without censorship, diversity and inclusion, climate action, or tolerance of different views.
All these beliefs have faced recent domestic challenges inside the UK and US. Their evident and apparent inclusions are strong statements even if they are unlikely to gain the same newspaper headlines as killer robots, cyberwarriors, or foreign threats.
Pragmatists may want to keep all options open all the time using realpolitik, yet even realists require achievable goals.
Understanding what we stand for provides three strategic advantages:
Gains international initiative,
Confirms investment priorities, and
Drives our internal understanding.
It secures information advantage with a more explicit narrative that takes the initiative from our adversaries. A strategic vision creates clarity, consistency, and trust. Rather than respond to an adversary, our strategic narrative enables us to challenge our adversaries.
It creates the debate around defence and security priorities before conflict rather than the discussion occurring during conflict. The Review defines a direction of travel for UK Defence and Security and, over the next few weeks, more details will emerge on what that means for sailors, soldiers, and aircrew. The inevitable arguments around force cuts and changes are more straightforward with a clearer strategic vision and narrative.
Most crucially, a more explicit strategic stance clarifies what we will fall for and expect our troops to die for in the future. Our cause may be right, but it is far easier to justify the ultimate cost that our forces may make with it being clear.
There is much in the Review to praise and to champion. Our direction is now more precise, and our choices more apparent. It acknowledges that Defence is not isolated from the digital revolution transforming our broader society. It clarifies the threats we face and the approaches that adversaries use against us.
We now need to take this clear national strategic vision and use it to gain the international initiative, prioritise our investments, and deliver on our goals.
