United Kingdom
Military spending in US dollars in United Kingdom
Military spending in US dollars in United Kingdom: $38B in 1950 and $88B in 2025, by SIPRI estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- $88B
- Since 1950
- +$50B
- Rank, 2025
- 6 of 151
- counting from the highest
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- The highest was $89.8B in 2024, the lowest $38B in 1950.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $88B |
| 2024 | $89.8B |
| 2023 | $78.2B |
| 2022 | $73.2B |
| 2021 | $72.1B |
| 2020 | $71B |
| 2019 | $69.9B |
| 2018 | $67.1B |
| 2017 | $66.6B |
| 2016 | $66.4B |
| 2015 | $66.7B |
| 2014 | $69.3B |
| 2013 | $70.6B |
| 2012 | $73.3B |
| 2011 | $75.4B |
| 2010 | $78B |
| 2009 | $79.3B |
| 2008 | $78.1B |
| 2007 | $74.8B |
| 2006 | $72.8B |
| 2005 | $72.5B |
| 2004 | $71.8B |
| 2003 | $71B |
| 2002 | $66.2B |
| 2001 | $62.5B |
| 2000 | $60.1B |
| 1999 | $59B |
| 1998 | $59.3B |
| 1997 | $59.1B |
| 1996 | $61.3B |
| 1995 | $61.8B |
| 1994 | $65.9B |
| 1993 | $67.8B |
| 1992 | $71B |
| 1991 | $76.1B |
| 1990 | $75.2B |
| 1989 | $75.1B |
| 1988 | $74.4B |
| 1987 | $77.2B |
| 1986 | $78B |
| 1985 | $79B |
| 1984 | $78.3B |
| 1983 | $74.6B |
| 1982 | $71.4B |
| 1981 | $65.5B |
| 1980 | $66.8B |
| 1979 | $62.7B |
| 1978 | $60.8B |
| 1977 | $58.9B |
| 1976 | $61.6B |
| 1975 | $62.5B |
| 1974 | $59.5B |
| 1973 | $59.5B |
| 1972 | $59.3B |
| 1971 | $55.7B |
| 1970 | $55.9B |
| 1969 | $54.2B |
| 1968 | $57.4B |
| 1967 | $58.2B |
| 1966 | $56.8B |
| 1965 | $57.1B |
| 1964 | $56.9B |
| 1963 | $55.4B |
| 1962 | $54.5B |
| 1961 | $53.8B |
| 1960 | $53.8B |
| 1959 | $52.7B |
| 1958 | $53B |
| 1957 | $54.4B |
| 1956 | $56.4B |
| 1955 | $57.4B |
| 1954 | $60.3B |
| 1953 | $63.5B |
| 1952 | $57.2B |
| 1951 | $44.7B |
| 1950 | $38B |
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
United Kingdom in numbers
Every measure for United Kingdom on one page
Health
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Military
- Military spending2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per person$1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spending5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel153,000 people in 2020
- National power1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports702 million TIV in 2025