BAE chief warns UK complacent as autonomous weapons reshape war
The head of Europe’s largest defence contractor has warned that the UK is dangerously unprepared for a new era of autonomous warfare, signalling that European governments must dramatically increase military spending to secure the continent and drive industrial growth.
The chief executive of BAE Systems, Charles Woodburn, has warned that the UK has been dangerously complacent about the risk of foreign attack. He cited a threat level that is the highest he has seen in his lifetime.
Speaking to the BBC, Woodburn pointed to the war in Ukraine as a catalyst for a profound shift in modern combat. He noted that Russia and Ukraine have become "incredibly adept" at using autonomous drones.
At the Farnborough International Air Show, BAE unveiled a life-size model of an unmanned fighter jet designed to fly alongside manned aircraft. Four of these Collaborative Combat Aircraft can accompany a piloted jet to increase firepower at just 20% of the cost of a traditional aircraft.
However, Woodburn cautioned against abandoning traditional hardware, arguing that adversaries are still building large ships and submarines. He said combining these conventional platforms with new unmanned capabilities is the "winning" formula.
The shift brings urgent tactical risks for European security. Woodburn warned that lethal autonomous weapons are close to reality. "We're not far from that. While we follow rules of 'man in the loop' we know very well that our adversaries are not always doing that," he said.
Meeting these new realities will require a major fiscal pivot. The UK government has committed to spending 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, but a recent funding boost of £15 billion will only lift spending to 2.68% by 2030.
The UK's regular army has dwindled from 153,000 soldiers in 1990 to just 74,000 today. This decline has drawn sharp criticism from allies, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sarcastically referring to the "big bad Royal Navy".
To bridge the capability gap, the defence industry is positioning itself as an engine for broader economic growth. Prime Minister Andy Burnham highlighted defence's role in reindustrialising the economy and providing skilled jobs.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting argued that the sector will be "a central contributor to building that growth, a driver of prosperity". Woodburn echoed this economic pitch, saying the public needs to understand that defence spending creates jobs.
The appointment of former Defence Secretary John Healey as chancellor was welcomed by Woodburn as a positive signal for this strategy. Healey very publicly resigned from the defence post, arguing that allocated funds "falls well short of what is needed to protect the country".
"He understands what is needed and I think in that sense its very good he's in the Treasury role," Woodburn noted. His presence at the treasury is expected to help find the massive increases required to hit the 2035 defence targets.
