Universal Defence and Security Solutions (UDSS) is proud to announce the involvement of its members in the UK’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR)—a landmark assessment of Britain’s defence posture, priorities, and capabilities, which is due for publication imminently.
The review was commissioned by the Prime Minister and led by Lord Robertson, General Sir Richard Barrons (UDSS Co-Founder and Co-Chair), and Dr Fiona Hill—marking the first time in UK history that such a review has been led by an external team.
“I am really proud of the contribution made by Universal Defence and Security Solutions members and the wider defence community to the Strategic Defence Review 2025. Their depth of experience and thoughtful, pragmatic input played a key role in shaping the review’s direction. I’m grateful for their commitment to applying hard-earned expertise in support of this important national effort.”
— General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE, Co-Chair, Universal Defence and Security Solutions
Pre-register to receive the SDR in full upon its official release:
How the First Ever UK External Strategic Defence Review Was Designed and Executed
The decision to commission an externally led SDR—rather than an internal Whitehall-led exercise—was made by the then incoming Prime Minister and Defence Secretary to ensure a higher level of scrutiny and avoid consensus-driven limitations.
In preparation during the election period, the foundational narrative, methodology, and support structures were designed to enable immediate activation once a new government was formed.
Key features of the review process included:
- A clear overarching narrative, agreed at the outset, to guide scope, strategic alignment, and affordability.
- Leadership by three senior external reviewers, supported by six subject-matter experts—all personally approved by the Prime Minister.
- A collaborative approach: the review was conducted with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and wider government—not to them—with full MoD access, backed by a cross-government Secretariat.
- A broad engagement process including responses to 23 strategically crafted questions from industry, academia, civil society, and government—yielding thousands of submissions.
- Use of a bespoke AI tool (MoD-funded) to analyse responses, identify patterns, and pinpoint areas of alignment and dissonance.
- Scrutiny by senior external expert panels across each thematic area. For instance, in the maritime domain, propositions were presented by the First Sea Lord and reviewed in-depth.
- Iterative report drafting over five rounds, managed by a dedicated drafting team working closely with the Secretary of State for Defence.
- A parallel fiscal modelling process with MoD capability and finance teams, ensuring that all recommendations were realistic, prioritised, and affordable.
The final report was submitted to the Prime Minister via the Defence Secretary and will be released imminently through a coordinated publication campaign.
UDSS: A Practitioner-Led Defence and Security Partner
UDSS contributed substantially to the SDR through its network of over 700 former senior military, civil service, and security professionals—including former 4* commanders and experts in cyber, space, and strategic policy.
Working independently from government, UDSS delivers trusted, practitioner-led expertise across:
- Strategic defence and security reviews
- Cyber, digital, and space strategy
- Capability modernisation and procurement support
- Professional military education and leadership mentoring
- Border security, policing, and corruption interdiction
- Geospatial intelligence and catastrophic risk forecasting
- Civil and military space programme design
Relevance to Business and Government
The SDR outlines a defence landscape that is being reshaped by cyber warfare, digital integration, and global instability. With the announcement of a £1 billion investment in a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command, including AI-driven targeting and offensive hacking capabilities, the Review sends a clear signal: the keyboard is now a weapon of war.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
“Ways of warfare are rapidly changing – with the UK facing daily cyber-attacks on this new frontline.
The hard-fought lessons from Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine leave us under no illusions that future conflicts will be won through forces that are better connected, better equipped and innovating faster than their adversaries.
We will give our Armed Forces the ability to act at speeds never seen before - connecting ships, aircraft, tanks and operators so they can share vital information instantly and strike further and faster.
By attracting the best digital talent, and establishing a nerve centre for our cyber capability, we will harness the latest innovations, properly fund Britain’s defences for the modern age and support the government’s Plan for Change.”
For businesses operating in defence, technology, and critical infrastructure, the SDR carries significant implications.
UDSS stands ready to support with:
- Tailored SDR briefings for industry, investors, and government
- Defence market strategy development and positioning
- Bilateral/multilateral engagement strategy
- Commercial risk and security analysis
- Navigating opportunities within the UK’s modernised defence architecture
To arrange a briefing or explore how UDSS can support your organisation, contact:
For media requests or interviews post publish of the SDR please contact meredyth.grant@universal-defence.com. For interviews prior to the publish of the SDR please contact the UK MoD press office on 020 721 87907.
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