As the world approaches the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, global defence strategies are under intense scrutiny. The conflict’s widespread adoption of new battlefield technologies including real-time data analytics, autonomous surveillance systems, and advanced battlefield coordination, highlights the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern warfare, a lesson that the UK Parliament’s Defence Committee has emphasised in its recent report, “Developing AI Capacity and Expertise in UK Defence”, as one that the UK must urgently heed.

The report, published earlier this month, explores the UK’s approach to developing and adopting AI-enabled technology in defence, concluding that, whilst the UK has potential to be home to a first-class defence AI sector, there is much work still to be done, and action must be taken now to enable that potential to be fully achieved.

This article provides a summary of some of the key points raised in the report.

Addressing the AI Integration Challenge

The report identifies defence as an “under-developed aspect of the AI ecosystem in the UK”, and describes a need for AI to be treated as something that will soon become essential in the development of defence systems globally. The Committee emphasises the importance of having a clear set of actions as to how the sector’s AI ambitions will be achieved and how progress will be measured, in order to ensure investor confidence and support the growth of the UK’s defence AI capacity. 

The Strategic Defence Review currently in progress is seen by the Committee as a timely opportunity to address this, and one of its key recommendations is to use this as an action plan to set out the specific steps that will be taken to “normalise the use of AI as an enabler” in defence.

Modernising Procurement Processes

The Defence Committee also explores the role of defence procurement processes in supporting AI development, describing a need for these processes to be more agile and responsive to the rapid pace of technological change. This is a well-known issue in the defence sector, and the MOD is already taking steps towards streamlining acquisition processes through its new Integrated Procurement Model, which is due to be implemented by the end of this year, and through initiatives such as Commercial X, which the report recognises as a “welcome innovation”. 

The report also calls for increased collaboration between the MOD and private sector – particularly SMEs and newcomers to the defence market, who are seen as drivers of innovation but do not necessarily slot easily into UK MOD’s existing procurement framework. The potential for partnerships between primes and SMEs is also explored in the report, which could make for an interesting development in the defence procurement landscape and would align with the MOD’s wider objectives for supporting SMEs as outlined in its Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent (which we summarised in a previous post).

The Importance of International Collaboration

The Defence Committee recognises that the UK cannot develop defence AI in isolation, and that the UK should look to co-operation with allies to harness the benefits of the global AI sector. The AUKUS partnership in particular is drawn out as a “generational opportunity” for collaboration on AI and advanced technologies. A key recommendation from the Defence Committee is for the UK to take actions to ensure that the UK’s AI-enabled defence systems are interoperable with those of its allies, with a mutual understanding and alignment of defence AI policy and objectives.

What next for Defence AI?

The Defence Committee’s report underscores the necessity for swift and decisive action. It is clear that the UK needs to embrace AI and foster innovation in order to remain at the forefront of technological and strategic developments, and the UK’s readiness to lead in this will be pivotal to future-proofing defence operations and safeguarding national security.

We look forward to seeing the MOD’s response to the report, and following how the sector responds to these challenges. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss any aspect of this article or any other legal or commercial issues with our team of defence experts, please get in touch. 

This article was written by Lucy Owens and Will Flaim