UK to boost spending on drones to tackle IS

British prime minister David Cameron has ordered more spending on drones and the SAS (Special Air Service) as he said Britain faces the “battle of our generation” to defeat extremist Islamist terrorism.

Defence chiefs have been told to target extra money on special forces and other counter-terror capabilities as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

New spy aircraft, including drones, to gather intelligence about Islamic State (IS) or other terror groups should be considered, Cameron said.

Speaking to RAF officers and airmen at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, Cameron said: “I would highlight one particular threat that I think is such a threat to our country, to our way of life and to peace and stability in our own country, and that’s the threat of Islamist extremist terrorism.”

Cameron said a range of measures were being taken to combat the threat from young people travelling to the Middle East to join up with terrorists.

“We can do all of these things but, in the end, we need to do something else and that’s make sure that Britain, with her allies, can destroy the fanatical Isil extremist state in Iraq and Syria,” said Cameron.

“We’ve done a huge amount already, and I want to thank the brave RAF crews, who’ve flown so many missions over Iraq — more than any other country apart from the United States.

“But I’m quite clear that when it comes to the threats the country faces, this threat of extremist Islamist terrorism, a threat on our own streets and on our own people, as we saw tragically on that beach in Tunisia — this is the threat of our generation, the battle of our generation, and fight that we’re going to have.

“And I’m absolutely determined that the RAF, army, and navy will have the equipment, the means and the resources to deal with it.

“One of the things that we need is making sure that we have the drones, spy planes and special forces – the unique capabilities that make sure we can deal with this threat at its source.”

Cameron wants the SDSR — due to conclude in the autumn — to prioritise resources that will help to protect Britain from evolving threats, not only terrorism and extremism but also an increasingly aggressive Russia and the risks posed by cyber attacks.