The U.K. has announced plans to invest about $270 billion in military aircraft, equipment and support services over the next decade following completion of the country’s annual strategic defense and security review, the Daily Telegraph reported Monday.Alan Trovey writes British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday unveiled a 10-year U.K. defense spending plan that includes procurement of Boeing-built P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and Lockheed Martin-built F-35 fighter aircraft.
Cameron said the U.K. will order up to nine P-8s from the U.S. in a deal that The Telegraph estimates could be worth nearly $3 billion.
He also confirmed a planned procurement of as many as 138 F-35 Lightning II strike fighters, according to a USNI News report by Jon Rosamond.
Rosamond writes the British government is also looking to replace Type 23 frigates with BAE Systems‘ Type 26 combatant ships for anti-submarine warfare missions.
The U.K. will also procure an additional two offshore patrol vessels and three logistic support ships for its navy, the report said.
