In Episode Two of Resilience State, we look beyond defence spending headlines to examine how procurement failures shape real military capability. Joined by Professor Keith Hartley, one of the UK’s leading defence economists, we examine why defence procurement repeatedly fails, and why these failures are not accidents, but the result of how defence markets are structured. The episode explores defence as a public good, the incentives shaping procurement decisions, and why governments struggle to cancel failing programmes even when costs spiral. We also discuss the trade-offs between defence spending and other public priorities, the role of competition and substitution, and whether market principles can realistically improve defence outcomes. Together, the conversation explains why fixing defence procurement is not just a technical problem, but a political and economic one.

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Episode Links:

Professor Hartley's suggested reading listhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Economics-Arms-Big-Business/dp/191111624X

Professor Hartley suggested that for those interested in working with the Ministry of Defence, a strong grounding in economics (such as an MSc in Economics) is particularly valuable, while a solid economics degree more broadly is well-suited to careers across the defence industry.

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