First Ever Armed Forces Commissioner Selected to Champion Service Personnel and Families

On 24 March 2026, Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced that former RAF Air Commodore Polly Perkins CBE has been chosen as the preferred candidate for the UK's first ever Armed Forces Commissioner. The new office will open on 1 April 2026 and will act as an independent champion for serving personnel and their families, with powers to investigate welfare concerns and report directly to Parliament.

The announcement fulfils a commitment the government made in its 2024 general election manifesto. The role was created by the Armed Forces Commissioner Act, which received Royal Assent on 3 September 2025 after completing its passage through Parliament.

What Is the Armed Forces Commissioner?

The Armed Forces Commissioner is a brand new statutory role meaning it was created by an Act of Parliament and is legally independent of the government. It is designed to be a direct point of contact for serving personnel and their families who want to raise concerns about their welfare or service life.

Before this role existed, personnel who had complaints or concerns had to go through the Service Complaints Ombudsman, a process that many felt was slow, limited in scope, and not sufficiently independent. The new Commissioner goes significantly further.

The Commissioner will be able to:

• Visit any UK Defence site unannounced, without needing to give advance notice
• Receive concerns directly from serving personnel and their families
• Investigate individual welfare concerns, including issues around equipment, housing, and unacceptable behaviours
• Undertake broader reviews into systemic issues affecting service life as a whole
• Commission independent reports
• Seek relevant information directly from the Ministry of Defence
• Make recommendations for improvement
• Report findings directly to Parliament, bypassing ministers if necessary

That last power is particularly significant. By reporting to Parliament rather than to ministers, the Commissioner can hold the government itself to account in a way that the previous Ombudsman system could not.

The role was modelled in part on the Commissioner for the Armed Forces in Germany, a long standing position that has been positively received by German military personnel.

Who Is Polly Perkins?

Polly Perkins served for over 30 years in the Royal Air Force, specialising in logistics and holding senior leadership roles including Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, British Forces Cyprus. She deployed on operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan and worked with NATO partners to improve multinational logistics. She holds an MA in Defence Studies from King's College London and was awarded a CBE for her service.

Her appointment as Interim Commissioner is subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee (HCDC), which took place on Wednesday 25 March 2026. The HCDC will publish its views and recommendations, which the government will consider before finalising and confirming the appointment.

What the Defence Secretary Said

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: "Our Armed Forces are at the heart of our nation's security. With demands on defence rising, from the conflict in the Middle East to growing Russian aggression, we are asking more of our military, and it is right that we continue to step up our support for them and their families.

"I am proud that we legislated in our first year of government to create this new Commissioner role, with powers to challenge Ministers and military leaders and to report directly to Parliament.

"Polly brings deep experience of service life and exceptional leadership as this country's first ever Armed Forces Commissioner, she will be the independent champion and direct point of contact that our Armed Forces and their families deserve. Our message to the Armed Forces community is clear: this government is on your side."

How Did the Role Come About?

The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill was introduced to Parliament and passed through a lengthy process of scrutiny in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The bill completed its passage through Parliament on 23 July 2025, when outstanding issues were resolved in the Lords after a period of parliamentary "ping pong", the back and forth process between the two chambers when they disagree on amendments.

Key debates during the bill's passage included the Commissioner's functions in relation to whistleblowing that is whether the Commissioner could investigate concerns raised by someone acting as a whistleblower in relation to the welfare of service personnel. These issues were ultimately agreed to without a division (a formal vote).

The bill received Royal Assent becoming law on 3 September 2025.

What Happens to the Service Complaints Ombudsman?

The Armed Forces Commissioner will take over responsibility for the existing Service Complaints Ombudsman function. The government has confirmed there will be no break in that service, meaning personnel who currently use the Ombudsman process will continue to be supported through the transition.

A permanent Commissioner will be appointed in the coming months through an open competition. Further details about how personnel and families can contact the Interim Commissioner will be shared in due course.

The Bigger Picture: What the Government and MoD Have Done on Defence Since 2025

The appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner does not stand alone. It is one part of a broader programme of defence reform that the government has been carrying out since taking office. Here is a plain English summary of the key steps taken so far, based on official government sources.

The Strategic Defence Review 2025

In June 2025, the government published the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) described as the first root and branch review of UK defence in 25 years. It was led externally by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, General Sir Richard Barrons, and Dr Fiona Hill, who worked with the Ministry of Defence over a period of months.

The review set out five core ambitions for UK defence:

• NATO First - stepping up on European security by leading in NATO, with strengthened nuclear, new technology, and updated conventional capabilities
• Move to warfighting readiness - building a more lethal integrated force equipped for the future, with strengthened homeland defence
• Engine for growth - driving jobs and prosperity through a new partnership with industry, radical procurement reforms, and backing UK businesses
• UK innovation driven by lessons from Ukraine - harnessing drones, data, and digital warfare to make the Armed Forces stronger and safer
• Whole of society approach - widening participation in national resilience and renewing the nation's contract with those who serve

The government accepted all 62 recommendations in the review. Key commitments included:

• Increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament subject to economic and fiscal conditions
• A new £11 billion annual investment budget for front line equipment under a new National Armaments Director
• £15 billion committed to the sovereign nuclear warhead programme this Parliament, supporting over 9,000 jobs
• At least £7 billion for a generational renewal of military accommodation, including over £1.5 billion in new investment to fix forces family housing
• Investment of more than £1 billion to integrate the Armed Forces through a new Digital Targeting Web by 2027
• £6 billion in munitions this Parliament, including at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK
• Establishing UK Defence Innovation with a ringfenced annual budget of at least £400 million

The review also announced a new Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), which was established from 1 April 2025, along with new powers for the Chief of the Defence Staff to command the Service Chiefs for the first time.

£140 Million Boost for Drone and Counter Drone Technology

In December 2025, the government announced that UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) launched by Defence Secretary John Healey in July 2025 would invest over £142 million in drone and counter drone technology in its first year of operation.

This included:

• Over £25 million for a new Royal Navy uncrewed AI submarine called Excalibur, part of the Atlantic Bastion programme to establish a new hybrid Navy
• £20 million to support development of additional laser weapons to complement the UK's DragonFire system, following a £300 million contract to install the first DragonFire anti drone systems onto Type 45 destroyers from 2027, five years earlier than previously planned creating and sustaining almost 600 jobs
• £7.5 million for a new uncrewed helicopter as part of the Royal Navy's move towards future hybrid air wing aircraft carriers
• £12 million to support development of an air launched collaborative Uncrewed Air Vehicle (UAV)
• Around £30 million into counter drone technology to protect the UK homeland and allies against Russian linked drone incursions across Europe

The investment involved 20 British SMEs, 11 British micro SMEs, and 2 British academic institutions.

£1 Million Competition to Advance Autonomous Sensor Technologies

In December 2025, UKDI also launched a £1 million competition seeking innovations in autonomous sensor management and sensor counter deception. Run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the competition sought solutions capable of detecting and countering deception in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The deadline for submissions was 10 February 2026, with projects expected to run from May 2026 to December 2027.

Updated UK-Ireland Defence Memorandum of Understanding

In March 2026, the Defence Secretary and Irish Minister for Defence Helen McEntee TD signed a refreshed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral defence cooperation. The updated agreement replaced a previous MoU signed in 2015 and focused on four key areas:

• Enhanced maritime cooperation to protect critical undersea infrastructure and improve responses to maritime security incidents
• Cyber defence - boosting information sharing and increasing resilience against threats
• Air domain information sharing and improved joint situational awareness
• Increased joint procurement of military equipment and new Government to Government sales

The MoU was signed during the UK-Ireland Leaders' Summit in Cork, where the Prime Minister met Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: "The UK and Ireland share a long history of defence cooperation from crisis management and humanitarian operations to training, military education and staff exchanges. This rebooted Memorandum of Understanding modernises our framework for cooperation on areas critical to both our nations' security, in particular to counter the growing undersea and cyber threats we share."

New Armed Forces Recruitment Partnership with Jobcentres

In February 2026, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) signed a new partnership agreement to connect Jobcentre Plus directly to military training and careers. Under the arrangement, Armed Forces Career Offices are being partnered with Jobcentres and local Armed Forces Champions, with Jobcentre staff providing guidance on immediate opportunities across roles from engineering and cyber to healthcare and logistics.

A new pilot in the West Midlands is trialling specialist Armed Forces recruitment support as part of the government's Youth Guarantee. The Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force each nominated a dedicated representative to deliver tailored engagement activities for jobseekers and DWP work coaches.

Minister for Veterans and People, Louise Sandher-Jones MP, said: "Britain's security is stronger when our Armed Forces draw from the whole of society. By reaching young people where they are, we're opening doors and building the diverse, talented force our country needs."

£283.5 Million in Contracts to Maintain 3,000 Defence Boats

On 25 March 2026, the Ministry of Defence announced contracts worth £283.5 million awarded to five suppliers to maintain and support a fleet of 3,000 smaller vessels used by the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and MOD Police. The contracts run until 2033 and were awarded to Golden Arrow Marine, UK Docks, Griffon Marine Ltd, Babcock, and Serco following a competitive procurement process.

More than £250 million of the total value flows exclusively through UK based businesses. The programme will create over 100 skilled jobs including apprenticeships in coastal and riverside communities from Scotland to Cornwall, and will directly enable the reopening of docks in Teesside. Activity will be centred on major naval bases at Portsmouth, Devonport, and Clyde, with additional work in Gibraltar.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said: "We're backing British businesses, reopening docks and breathing new life into maritime industries that have been the backbone of our coastal towns for generations proving once again that Defence is an engine for growth."

Putting It Together: What Does This All Mean?

The appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner is the latest step in what the government describes as a programme to "renew the nation's contract with those who serve." Taken together, the measures announced since 2025 cover three broad areas:

The Strategic Defence Review set the framework for all of this. The individual announcements since, from drone investment to the Commissioner appointment are the government's implementation of that framework in practice.

This Will Take Years Not Months

It is important to understand that while the announcements above represent a significant shift in direction, rebuilding the UK's Armed Forces to full fighting readiness is a long term process. The Strategic Defence Review itself states that "the SDR sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform Defence," and the Defence Secretary has repeatedly acknowledged that the armed forces had been "hollowed out" over many years.

Military training alone takes considerable time. Basic training for recruits typically runs for several months, while specialist roles such as those in aviation, engineering, cyber, submarine operations, and logistics can require training programmes that last up to two years or more before personnel are operationally ready. Rebuilding headcount, therefore, is not simply a matter of recruiting more people; those people must then pass through lengthy, structured training pipelines before they can contribute to operational capability.

The urgency behind the modernisation and recruitment drive that began in 2025 was, in significant part, a response to the changing security environment in Europe. Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine which began with the full scale invasion in February 2022 and its increasingly assertive behaviour toward NATO member states and European partners created pressure on all NATO allies, including the UK, to reassess and accelerate their defence postures. The Strategic Defence Review explicitly cites "war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber attacks at home" as the conditions driving the need for urgent reform.

What this means in practice is that the government's decisions in 2025 and 2026 on recruitment, training, equipment, and welfare are investments whose full effect will not be seen for several years. The scale of the task was acknowledged in the SDR itself, which described the ambition as "the biggest shift in mindset in my lifetime" and set out reforms intended to span the remainder of this Parliament and into the next.