Newly appointed National Armament Director to be questioned by MPs
The Defence Committee will hear from Rupert Pearce, the recently appointed National Armaments Director, for the first time on Tuesday, 16 December.
The recently created role brings together the Ministry of Defence (MoD) organisations responsible for the UK’s national arsenal and defence estate. Questions are likely to explore Mr Pearce’s suitability for the role and his priorities.
Meeting details
MPs are likely to examine the capability gaps of the armed forces, including shortages in munitions availability, and the status of the ongoing issues with Ajax and other military equipment. The cross-party Committee could also consider how effective the MoD’s current ways of working are, to ensure the UK reaches war-fighting readiness as soon as necessary.
In the absence of the Defence Investment Plan, which was due to publish in autumn 2025, the Committee is likely to question how the current investment programme is being managed and if the funding available is sufficient for the scale of activity needed.