The UK Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced the availability of an extra £2bn to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Announced in the chancellor’s first budget, the funding will come from the Treasury’s contingency reserve, rather than the Ministry of Defence budget.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

It will include around £900m to be spent on military equipment including body armour and armoured vehicles, with the rest to be spent on frontline troop bonuses and extra running costs of ammunition and repairs.

By staff writer

Army Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Army Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact across the defence sector.

Excellence in Action
SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH AI-enabled fire control systems are turning standard rifles into precision counter drone and small arms platforms. Discover how SMASH is redefining dismounted force protection, accuracy, and ethical AI use on today’s battlefield and why it has won the Innovation award.

Discover the Impact