The London Defence Conference took place in London on 10 and 11 April, bringing together policymakers, military figures, industry representatives, academics and selected media for its fourth edition. The organisers described the event as an invitation-only geopolitical conference focused on defence and security issues affecting the UK and allied nations.
The conference came as defence and national resilience remain high on the UK political agenda. In remarks linked to the event, Armed Forces Minister Alistair Carns said the UK must strengthen “warfighting readiness” and argued that lessons from Ukraine showed the need to build resilience before a crisis emerges. He said preparedness now extends beyond the armed forces to include infrastructure, energy, communications and supply chains.
Defence Secretary John Healey
Defence Secretary John Healey also used the conference platform for an announcement on counter-drone capability. The Ministry of Defence said UK start-up Cambridge Aerospace would supply its Skyhammer interceptor missile to British forces and Gulf partners, with the procurement presented as part of efforts to respond to emerging drone threats while supporting domestic defence manufacturing.
The wider political context also featured during the event. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch used the conference to call for higher defence spending and set out proposals for a larger rearmament programme, including plans to expand troop numbers and redirect funding from other areas of government expenditure. Her intervention came amid continued debate over the pace and scale of UK defence investment and the publication of the government’s longer-term defence funding plans.
Military readiness
The conference agenda reflected a broader emphasis on military readiness, industrial capacity and national preparedness. Coverage around the event also highlighted discussion of the UK’s ability to respond to threats across infrastructure, maritime security and air defence, as well as the implications of recent instability in the Gulf and the continued war in Ukraine.
The London Defence Conference has become a recurring fixture in the UK defence calendar, with previous editions held in partnership with King’s College London. Organisers say the event is designed to convene government, armed forces, industry and academia to address strategic defence challenges. This year’s edition again placed readiness, resilience and allied security cooperation at the centre of proceedings.
