Defence industry representatives and UK lawmakers have intensified pressure on the government to publish its long-delayed Defence Investment Plan, a comprehensive framework designed to detail how London will implement last year’s Strategic Defence Review and prioritise military funding over the coming decade.

The plan, expected to provide line-by-line responses to recommendations from the review and clarify capability procurement and spending priorities, has yet to be formally delivered, prompting concern among stakeholders about uncertainty for industry and armed forces planning.

Ministers, including the Defence Readiness and Industry Minister, have acknowledged ongoing work on the plan but have refrained from providing a firm publication date.

A parliamentary written question revealed that previous assurances the Defence Investment Plan would be released by Christmas went unmet, and officials have instead pledged to publish it “as soon as we can,” emphasising the complexity and scale of the decisions involved.

The plan is intended to build on the Strategic Defence Review’s vision by outlining specific capability purchases, investment schedules and measures to enhance warfighting readiness.

Industry leaders and senior MPs argue that the absence of a clear timeline for the investment plan is creating uncertainty for UK defence firms and could hinder efforts to attract investment and scale production.

While the government has moved forward with related initiatives — including launching funds for military technology start-ups and reforms to defence procurement to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises — the publication of the Defence Investment Plan is seen as essential to provide longer-term certainty and confidence across the sector.

Market reforms aim to make procurement more accessible for smaller UK firms and support innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and precision weapons, with the Ministry of Defence establishing dedicated offices and funds to support that shift.

However, until the investment plan is released, industry and lawmakers remain focused on securing clarity on how the strategic review’s objectives will translate into concrete capability and spending commitments.

 The investment plan will be scrutinised for how it addresses key defence targets, including when the government expects to reach its stated goal of increasing defence spending to a higher share of gross domestic product.

Officials have linked the plan to broader commitments to bolster UK defence capacity and reinforce the sector’s contribution to economic growth and national security, but its delayed publication continues to be a point of contention in Westminster debates and industry planning cycles.