A
defence minister or
minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in some the minister is only in charge of general budget matters and procurement of equipment; while in others the minister is also an integral part of the operational military chain of command. A defence minister could be titled
minister for defense,
minister of national defense,
secretary of defense,
secretary of state for defence,
minister of war or some similar variation.