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Regular Forces by Branch
July 2026Spending Charts
Defence spending over time and as a share of the economy.
UK Defence Spending
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Notes
The UK spent £60.2 billion on defence in 2024/25 in real terms, and £62.0 billion in 2025/26. Under the Defence Investment Plan published in June 2026, the budget is planned to reach £79.1 billion in cash terms by 2029/30.
View data: UK Defence Spending
| Financial year | Defence Spending (£bn) |
|---|---|
| 2003/04 | 53 billion GBP |
| 2004/05 | 54.3 billion GBP |
| 2005/06 | 53.9 billion GBP |
| 2006/07 | 53.7 billion GBP |
| 2007/08 | 57.8 billion GBP |
| 2008/09 | 57.5 billion GBP |
| 2009/10 | 59.2 billion GBP |
| 2010/11 | 57.1 billion GBP |
| 2011/12 | 52.7 billion GBP |
| 2012/13 | 47.7 billion GBP |
| 2013/14 | 47.2 billion GBP |
| 2014/15 | 46.2 billion GBP |
| 2015/16 | 46.9 billion GBP |
| 2016/17 | 46.2 billion GBP |
| 2017/18 | 47.4 billion GBP |
| 2018/19 | 48.1 billion GBP |
| 2019/20 | 49.1 billion GBP |
| 2020/21 | 49.6 billion GBP |
| 2021/22 | 53.7 billion GBP |
| 2022/23 | 57.6 billion GBP |
| 2023/24 | 55.9 billion GBP |
| 2024/25 | 60.2 billion GBP |
Defence Spending as % of GDP
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Notes
UK defence spending was 2.32% of GDP in 2025 on the NATO measure and is estimated at 2.56% in 2026, above the 2% guideline. The government has committed to 2.5% by 2027, or 2.6% including the intelligence agencies, and 3.5% by 2035.
View data: Defence Spending as % of GDP
| Year | Defence % GDP | 2% NATO Target |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2.13% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2015 | 2.02% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2016 | 2.07% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2017 | 2.06% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2018 | 2.08% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2019 | 2.06% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2020 | 2.33% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2021 | 2.25% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2022 | 2.22% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2023 | 2.22% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2024 | 2.28% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2025 | 2.32% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
| 2026 | 2.56% of GDP | 2% of GDP |
UK Regular Forces Strength
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Notes
The regular British Army stood at 74,368 personnel at 1 April 2026, and had fallen to 73,660 by 1 July 2026, according to MOD service personnel statistics.
View data: UK Regular Forces Strength
| Year | Regular Forces |
|---|---|
| 2012-04-01 | 179.8 thousand personnel |
| 2013-04-01 | 170.71 thousand personnel |
| 2014-04-01 | 159.63 thousand personnel |
| 2015-04-01 | 153.72 thousand personnel |
| 2016-04-01 | 151 thousand personnel |
| 2017-04-01 | 149.37 thousand personnel |
| 2018-04-01 | 146.56 thousand personnel |
| 2019-04-01 | 144.43 thousand personnel |
| 2020-04-01 | 145.32 thousand personnel |
| 2021-04-01 | 149.28 thousand personnel |
| 2022-04-01 | 147.98 thousand personnel |
| 2023-04-01 | 142.56 thousand personnel |
| 2024-04-01 | 138.12 thousand personnel |
| 2025-04-01 | 137 thousand personnel |
| 2026-04-01 | 137.97 thousand personnel |
Inflow vs Outflow
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Notes
People joining the armed forces versus those leaving each year. In most recent years more have left than joined, which is why total numbers have fallen.
View data: Inflow vs Outflow
| Financial year | Inflow | Outflow |
|---|---|---|
| 2012/13 | 14.37 thousand personnel | 23.53 thousand personnel |
| 2013/14 | 11.88 thousand personnel | 23.01 thousand personnel |
| 2014/15 | 12.98 thousand personnel | 18.91 thousand personnel |
| 2015/16 | 13.8 thousand personnel | 16.55 thousand personnel |
| 2016/17 | 13.38 thousand personnel | 15.05 thousand personnel |
| 2017/18 | 12.36 thousand personnel | 15.17 thousand personnel |
| 2018/19 | 12.48 thousand personnel | 14.63 thousand personnel |
| 2019/20 | 16.34 thousand personnel | 15.46 thousand personnel |
| 2020/21 | 16.25 thousand personnel | 12.3 thousand personnel |
| 2021/22 | 13.35 thousand personnel | 14.63 thousand personnel |
| 2022/23 | 11.09 thousand personnel | 16.51 thousand personnel |
| 2023/24 | 11.3 thousand personnel | 15.73 thousand personnel |
| 2024/25 | 13.45 thousand personnel | 14.59 thousand personnel |
| 2025/26 | 14.37 thousand personnel | 13.39 thousand personnel |
Defence spending in context
% of GDP · 2026 estimatesCompare NATO members using a common definition of defence spending.
NATO defence spending
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Notes
Defence spending as a share of GDP for each NATO member, 2026 estimates. Slovenia is the only ally below the 2% guideline. Baltic and frontline states spend the most, with Lithuania at 5.3%.
View data: NATO defence spending
| Country | Defence % GDP | 2% minimum | 3.5% core target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | 5.33% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Estonia | 5.1% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Latvia | 4.92% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Poland | 4.68% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Greece | 3.65% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Denmark | 3.49% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Sweden | 3.22% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Norway | 3.17% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| USA | 3.17% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Turkiye | 2.85% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Germany | 2.69% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Finland | 2.65% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Netherlands | 2.58% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| UK | 2.56% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Romania | 2.43% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Bulgaria | 2.22% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| France | 2.22% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Montenegro | 2.17% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Albania | 2.15% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Canada | 2.13% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Italy | 2.1% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Portugal | 2.1% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Hungary | 2.09% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| North Mac. | 2.09% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Croatia | 2.03% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Luxembourg | 2.03% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Slovak Republic | 2.02% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Czech Rep. | 2.01% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Belgium | 2% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Spain | 2% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
| Slovenia | 1.61% of GDP | 2% of GDP | 3.5% of GDP |
MOD Expenditure by Category
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Notes
The Defence Investment Plan maps about £262 billion of the £297.7 billion planned budget to these categories. Sensitive, operational and some cross-cutting spending sit outside the breakdown.
View data: MOD Expenditure by Category
| Category | MOD Expenditure by Category |
|---|---|
| People and veterans | 30% |
| Defence Nuclear Enterprise | 24.3% |
| Air capabilities | 10.6% |
| Infrastructure and estate | 8.7% |
| Land capabilities | 7.3% |
| Maritime capabilities | 6.9% |
| Weapons and munitions | 4.2% |
| Digital backbone | 2.9% |
| Science and technology | 1.6% |
| Space capabilities | 1.2% |
| Joint support and medical | 1.1% |
| Cyber and electromagnetic | 1% |
| Industry and procurement | 0.2% |
Defence vs Other Departments
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Notes
UK defence spending in 2024/25 compared with the other largest departmental groups. It is far smaller than welfare, health and education.
View data: Defence vs Other Departments
| Department | Total spending (£bn) |
|---|---|
| Work & Pensions | 297.8 billion GBP |
| Health & Soc. Care | 228.1 billion GBP |
| Education | 147.8 billion GBP |
| Defence | 79.8 billion GBP |
MOD Research & Development
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Notes
MOD spending on research and development. The war in Ukraine has increased focus on drones and autonomous systems, which now compete with traditional equipment for funding.
View data: MOD Research & Development
| Financial year | MOD R&D (£bn) |
|---|---|
| 2003/04 | 2.2 billion GBP |
| 2004/05 | 2.26 billion GBP |
| 2005/06 | 2.32 billion GBP |
| 2006/07 | 2.21 billion GBP |
| 2007/08 | 2.22 billion GBP |
| 2008/09 | 2.07 billion GBP |
| 2009/10 | 1.84 billion GBP |
| 2010/11 | 1.78 billion GBP |
| 2011/12 | 1.35 billion GBP |
| 2012/13 | 1.5 billion GBP |
| 2013/14 | 1.56 billion GBP |
| 2014/15 | 1.75 billion GBP |
| 2015/16 | 1.68 billion GBP |
| 2016/17 | 1.67 billion GBP |
| 2017/18 | 1.68 billion GBP |
| 2018/19 | 1.71 billion GBP |
| 2019/20 | 1.07 billion GBP |
| 2020/21 | 1.13 billion GBP |
| 2021/22 | 1.91 billion GBP |
| 2022/23 | 2.11 billion GBP |
| 2023/24 | 2.71 billion GBP |
| 2024/25 | 3.13 billion GBP |
Reserve Forces Strength
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Notes
The number of volunteer reservists, who support the full-time forces. Reserve strength has held broadly steady at around 32,000 while the regular forces have shrunk.
View data: Reserve Forces Strength
| Year | Reserves |
|---|---|
| 2012-04-01 | 31.31 thousand personnel |
| 2013-04-01 | 30.36 thousand personnel |
| 2014-04-01 | 28.86 thousand personnel |
| 2015-04-01 | 31.26 thousand personnel |
| 2016-04-01 | 35.07 thousand personnel |
| 2017-04-01 | 36.46 thousand personnel |
| 2018-04-01 | 36.45 thousand personnel |
| 2019-04-01 | 36.5 thousand personnel |
| 2020-04-01 | 37.06 thousand personnel |
| 2021-04-01 | 37.41 thousand personnel |
| 2022-04-01 | 35.86 thousand personnel |
| 2023-04-01 | 33.79 thousand personnel |
| 2024-04-01 | 32.42 thousand personnel |
| 2025-04-01 | 31.91 thousand personnel |
| 2026-04-01 | 32.03 thousand personnel |
Equipment & inventory
April 2026British Army
| Holdings | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Challenger 2 tanks | 285 | ↓ 3 |
| Armoured fighting vehicles | 1,024 | ↓ 31 |
| Armoured personnel carriers | 981 | ↓ 16 |
| Protected mobility vehicles | 2,028 | ↑ 30 |
Royal Navy
| Holdings | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft carriers | 2 | − |
| Submarines | 9 | − |
| Surface fleet | 52 | ↓ 5 |
| Royal Fleet Auxiliary | 12 | ↓ 1 |
Royal Air Force
| Holdings | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoon fighters | 124 | ↓ 5 |
| F-35B Lightnings | 47 | ↑ 10 |
| Fixed-wing platforms | 507 | ↑ 3 |
| Rotary-wing platforms | 249 | ↓ 27 |
Sources and coverage
MOD equipment holdings at 1 April 2026, with changes since April 2025 using the revised comparison figures in the same release. Holdings are not the number ready for operations.
Source: UK armed forces equipment and formations 2026, published 20 August 2026, worksheets 1, 5, 7 and 8.
MOD news & announcements
View all on GOV.UK ↗Sources and definitions
Spending, personnel and equipment figures come from the Ministry of Defence's official statistical publications - quarterly service personnel statistics and annual finance and equipment releases reporting holdings as at 1 April - with international comparisons from NATO's own estimates, which apply a single definition of defence expenditure to every ally.
Equipment counts are formal holdings, not day-to-day availability. Regular Forces counts include trained and untrained personnel; the branch figures are at 1 July 2026. Spending is in real terms where indicated.
Defence spending is rising again after decades of decline, pulled upward by the war in Ukraine, NATO commitments and doubts about long-term American security guarantees. These charts show the money in real terms, as a share of the economy, and where it actually goes.
The alliance-wide picture: who spends what, measured on NATO's single consistent definition - the chart at the centre of every burden-sharing argument.
Beyond money and people: the hardware. Equipment numbers reveal the long-run consequences of spending decisions, since ships, tanks and aircraft ordered today arrive over decades - and seven of the twelve headline counts below are lower than a year earlier.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the UK spend on defence?
The UK spent £60.2 billion on defence in 2024/25 in real terms. On the NATO measure, defence spending was 2.32% of GDP in 2025 and is estimated at 2.56% in 2026. The government has committed to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3.5% by 2035.
How big is the British Army?
The regular British Army stood at 74,368 personnel at 1 April 2026, and had fallen to 73,660 by 1 July 2026, according to MOD service personnel statistics.
How does UK defence spending compare with other NATO members?
The NATO comparison chart shows defence spending as a share of GDP across alliance members using NATO's own published estimates, which apply the same definition to every country and are the standard basis for comparing allies.