Integrated Review

The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, often known as the Integrated Review, and titled as Global Britain in a Competitive Age, is a review by the British Government into the foreign, defence, security and international development policies of the United Kingdom. Described by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as "the largest review of its kind since the Cold War", the review was published on 16 March 2021 and was followed by a defence command paper, Defence in a Competitive Age, on 22 March.

The review was first announced in December 2019 by the first Johnson ministry with a publication date set for "early 2020", however the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to be delayed several times. A number of preliminary decisions were published in November 2020 ahead of the review's full publication on 16 March 2021. The review sets out the government's vision for Global Britain, the UK's role in the world following its withdrawal from the European Union. Its four overarching objectives are for the UK to sustain a strategic advantage through science and technology, for the UK to shape the open international order through working with partners and international institutions, for the UK to strengthen its security at home and abroad and for the UK to become more resilient to threats at home and overseas. The review identified Russia as an "active threat", China a "systemic challenge" and climate change the UK's highest international priority.

Background

The Integrated Review combines previously separate reviews into foreign policy, defence, national security and international development, such as the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review into one, making it the largest review of its kind carried out by a UK government since the Cold War. It follows several notable developments since previous reviews, namely the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent economic downturn, the 2019–2020 Persian Gulf crisis, the rise in space warfare, several terrorist attacks and the use of hybrid warfare, particularly by Russia and China. The review also follows the merging of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office which occurred in September 2019.

Overview

Today the Government is setting out its approach to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. The Government has set in train the biggest review of our foreign, defence, security and development policy since the end of the Cold War.

— Prime Minister Boris Johnson, (February 2020)

The review was first announced during the December 2019 State Opening of Parliament in a speech outlining the second Johnson ministry's plans for that parliamentary year.

Objectives

In a statement in September 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the Integrated Review would be underpinned by a commitment to spend at at least 2% of GDP on defence—as defined as a target by NATO, 0.7% of GNI on Official development assistance and the maintenance of the British nuclear deterrent. The Prime Minister summarised the review's objectives as follows:

• To define the United Kingdom's role in the world, as well as its long-term strategic aims for national security and foreign policy.
• To set out how the UK will be a "problem-solving" and "burden-sharing" nation, working more effectively with its allies.
• To determine the capabilities required for the next decade and beyond to pursue the UK's objectives and address the risks and threats it faces.
• To address reforms to Government systems and structures to achieve these goals.
• To outline the implementation for these goals and how it will be evaluated.

In September 2020, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace explained that the review would deliver an armed forces that was "fit for tomorrow's battles" by switching from "traditional warfighting" to "technological warfighting". He explained that this would entail being forward deployed — for example, in Europe to deter Russian activity, in the Middle East to combat terrorism or in the Asia-Pacific to counter China — and relying on technology to deliver "speed, readiness and resilience" instead of "mass and mobilisation", including in the domains of space, cyberspace and sub-sea.

Complications

The review suffered several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing it to miss its original publication date of "early 2020". The review was first postponed in April 2020 but was restarted in July of that same year, with an unspecified publication date. A call for evidence was published on 13 August 2020 by the Cabinet Office. In October 2020, the review's future came into question once again following a decision by the government to implement a separate spending review, which covered one year instead of three, due to the economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A new publication date for February 2021 was then set but was subsequently missed, due again to the pandemic. This date was then replaced by one during March.

Decisions

In November 2020, Johnson announced an investment of £16.5 billion into defence over four years — representing a share of over 2.2% of GDP — as the first conclusion of the Integrated Review. Reported as the "largest military investment in 30 years", Johnson stated: "This is our chance to end the era of retreat, transform our Armed Forces, bolster our global influence, unite and level up our country, pioneer new technology and defend our people and way of life". The investment amounts to an increase of between 10–⁠15 percent on the current annual budget of £41.5 billion.

The full review, titled Global Britain in a Competitive Age, was published on 16 March 2020 by the Ministry of Defence. It resulted in the following notable conclusions:

Defence

The UK Carrier Strike Group during an exercise in 2019.

• The government announced its intention for the UK to be restored as the "foremost naval power in Europe" through the introduction of eight Type 26 frigates, five Type 31 frigates, support ships for the Template:Sclass-s, a new multi-role surveillance ship and a new class of frigate, the Type 32 frigate.
• Two aircraft carriers must be maintained, with one carrier strike group permanently available and routinely deployed alongside NATO and other allies.
• The Trident nuclear deterrent must be renewed. The cap on the UK's stockpile of nuclear warheads must rise from 180 warheads to around 260 — the first time it has risen since the Cold War.
• A new United Kingdom Space Command must be formed as part of the Royal Air Force to launch British satellites and, in 2022, the first rocket from Scotland. (The first commander was announced as Air Commodore Paul Godfrey in February 2021.)
• A new fighter system which harnesses artificial intelligence and drone technology must be introduced as part of the Future Combat Air System.
• £1.5 billion must be invested into military research and development.
• Directed energy weapons must equip warships and combat vehicles.
• A new centre dedicated to artificial intelligence to be established.
• A new National Cyber Force and Counter Terrorism Operations Centre must be formed to counter terrorism, organised crime and hostile state activity.
• The UK must remain a nuclear-armed power with global reach and integrated military capabilities across all five operational domains.

Foreign policy

• A "constructive and productive relationship" must be maintained with the European Union based on a "mutual respect for sovereignty".
• The UK must be active in Africa (in particular East Africa and with Nigeria), the Middle East and the Persian Gulf for trade, green innovation and to make them more resilient regions which are self-reliant for their own security.
• The UK must continue to be a leading member in NATO, committed to the collective security of the Euro-Atlantic region.
• By 2030, the UK must be "deeply engaged" in the Indo-Pacific region.

Other

• A commitment of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) on development must be reinstated when the "fiscal situation allows".
• A new Situation Centre to be established to address future crisis'.
• The UK must become a "science and tech superpower" by 2030 through the redoubling of research and development, bolstering innovation partnerships, and improving national skills – including by attracting the world’s "best and brightest" to the UK through a new Global Talent Visa.
• Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is to be the government's highest international priority.
• The UK must become one of the world's leading democratic cyber powers.

Defence in a Competitive Age

Main article: Defence in a Competitive Age

Following the publication of the Integrated Review, the government published a Defence Command Paper, titled Defence in a Competitive Age on 22 March 2021. The document outlined the government's planned investments and savings to defence to allow it to meet the objectives set out in the Integrated Review.

See also

• National Security Strategy (United Kingdom)
• Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015

Further reading

• "Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign affairs: a reading list". House of Commons Library.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• "Defence in the 2020s". House of Commons Library.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)