The release of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 marks a pivotal moment in the United Kingdom’s military and strategic recalibration.
It outlines a vision of a more
agile, AI-enabled, and technologically dominant force, prepared for
high-intensity conflicts and grey-zone threats alike. It doubles down on NATO
leadership, increases readiness postures, and makes heavy commitments to
defence industrial growth, innovation, and autonomy.
For Malaysia, while the
geostrategic theatre differs significantly from Europe, the undercurrents of
SDR 2025 are deeply relevant.
The Indo-Pacific is undergoing
its own transformation: rising great power competition, cyber threats, grey-zone
coercion, and the militarization of disputed maritime areas particularly in the
South China Sea.
As such, the SDR 2025 offers
critical lessons for Malaysia to consider, both in structure and substance.
Increased Readiness and Force
Modernization
The United Kingdom’s focus on
“readiness at scale” centres on enhancing the ability to rapidly deploy forces,
shorten mobilisation timelines, and maintain equipment and personnel at a high
level of combat preparedness.
This strategic shift is supported
by significant investments in logistics resilience, rapid deployment
infrastructure, and a more capable reserve force, enabling the UK to respond
swiftly and effectively to emerging threats across multiple domains.
In contrast, Malaysia’s current
defence posture remains primarily oriented toward peacetime deterrence, border
security, and internal stability.
This traditional approach is
increasingly insufficient given the growing complexity of regional security
dynamics, particularly in the maritime domain and the broader Indo-Pacific
theatre. To meet these evolving challenges, Malaysia must undertake a substantial
recalibration of its force readiness model.
One key step is to establish
modular, rapid-reaction units that are capable of operating in hybrid threat
environments.
These units should be designed
for quick deployment and tailored for operations in and around critical
maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Malacca, where the risk of grey-zone
activities and asymmetric threats is rising.
Furthermore, Malaysia should
increase investments in military mobility and logistics infrastructure,
particularly in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) due to their proximity to
potential flashpoints in the South China Sea.
Prepositioned supplies,
forward-operating facilities, and improved transport networks would
significantly enhance operational flexibility and response times.
Therefore, the expansion and
modernisation of the Territorial Army (Askar Wataniah) should be a priority.
This includes not only
strengthening traditional reserve components but also creating new hybrid
reserve forces trained in emerging domains such as cyber operations, drone
warfare, and electronic warfare.
These capabilities would allow
Malaysia to build a more adaptive, resilient force structure better suited to
the demands of modern conflict.
Technology-Led Warfare and AI
Integration
The SDR 2025 places strong
emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), drones, uncrewed systems, and data as
the foundation of modern combat power.
The United Kingdom is actively
investing in these areas, establishing a Defence Uncrewed Systems Centre,
accelerating AI integration across all military domains, and expanding its
arsenal of autonomous platforms, ranging from underwater drones to AI-powered
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems.
Malaysia, however, remains behind
the curve in adopting these transformative technologies. AI integration into
defence systems, local drone manufacturing, and the digitalisation of
battlefield operations are all still in their infancy.
To address this gap, Malaysia
must begin by establishing a dedicated Malaysian Defence AI Centre. This entity
is potentially housed under the Ministry of Defence’s Science and Technology
Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE) that could serve as the central hub for
AI projects, defence-focused data analytics, and the coordination of emerging
technology initiatives.
Alongside this, Malaysia should
develop a comprehensive national drone strategy tailored for defence needs.
This strategy should prioritise
the development and deployment of surveillance UAVs to enhance maritime domain
awareness, particularly in contested waters, and explore capabilities such as
loitering munitions and AI-assisted targeting systems to bolster operational
effectiveness.
Equally important is fostering a
defence innovation ecosystem. Malaysia should incentivize local tech startups,
university spin-offs, and research institutions to co-develop dual-use
technologies that can be rapidly prototyped, tested, and fielded.
Lessons can be drawn from
Ukraine’s model of agile defence innovation, where close collaboration between
the military and civilian tech sectors has yielded impactful solutions in
record time.
Embracing such a model would
position Malaysia to better respond to the fast-evolving nature of future
warfare.
A Moment for Strategic Courage
SDR 2025 serves as more than just
a roadmap for the United Kingdom’s military development as it signals a broader
transformation in global defence thinking.
The future of warfare is
increasingly defined by digital technologies, autonomous systems, and resilient
multinational alliances.
While Malaysia may be
geographically distant from NATO’s operational theatres, it is undeniably
situated within the Indo-Pacific, a region at the heart of emerging strategic
competition.
To remain relevant, secure, and
operationally capable in this rapidly evolving environment, Malaysia must
embrace a fundamental shift in its defence posture.
This requires thinking
innovatively, investing decisively in next-generation capabilities, partnering
strategically with like-minded nations, and modernizing urgently across all
domains i.e. land, sea, air, cyber, and space.
23.06.2025
Kuala Lumpur.
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https://focusmalaysia.my/sdr-2025-and-malaysia-adapting-to-the-new-defence-landscape-part-1/
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