Reflecting on the decision to add the six MRSS vessels to 22 other Royal Navy ships on order or in build, UK defence secretary Grant Shapps said, “this is a golden age for British shipbuilding.”
By Tim MartinThe various suppliers were all picked to join a Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework (HTCDF) agreement, making them eligible to compete for eight lots worth a maximum value of £1 billion ($1.3 billion) over the next seven years.
By Tim MartinNATO has established eight different capability coalitions designed to get critical systems or ammo into Ukrainian hands quickly. Here’s a deep dive into how they’re all faring.
By Tim Martin“We do have indications that this was the suspected work of a malign actor and we cannot rule out state involvement,” Grant Shapps, UK defense secretary told lawmakers.
By Tim MartinThe comments are the second time in the span of 10 months that industrial officials have publicly revealed a reduced buy from a max of 44 helos is on the table.
By Tim MartinAnn McDonnell, chief operating officer for Export Controls Australia Group, told Breaking Defense, “I think definitely from the Australian perspective, it really seemed like we had done everything possible that we could do in a really quick timeframe to get that certification.”
By Colin Clark and Tim MartinSuch is the scale of British Army acquisition problems alone that they could not be resolved if the UK moved to a long term spending settlement of even 4 percent GDP, an expert told British lawmakers.
By Tim MartinUnder the new plan, London wants to spend a cumulative extra of £75 billion ($93 billion) over the next six years, culminating in a 2030 annual defense budget of £87 billion ($108 billion), which would make it second in NATO only to the US in defense expenditure.
By Tim MartinThe fleet of light-twin rotorcraft will replace Airbus Puma HC2 types, which have been temporarily based in Brunei for British Army training and the island of Cyprus in support of Royal Air Force search and rescue missions.
By Tim MartinDisclosure of the future force review comes amid intense political scrutiny over the credibility of UK warfighting capabilities and calls by lawmakers to increase defense spending.
By Tim MartinRoberto Cingolani appeared to question UK secrecy, suggesting London has been unwilling to share how it will contribute to developing GCAP system of systems-type aircraft and technology.
By Tim MartinJames Cartlidge also described a tweak to the acquisition process for high-tech platforms that allow military tech experts to play “failsafe watchdog.”
By Tim MartinA total of $128 million from the latest drone package will be spent on maritime capabilities so Ukraine can “turn the tide” against Russia in the Black Sea, said the UK Ministry of Defence.
By Tim Martin“Since the formation of 216 Squadron in 2020 there have been no completed tests or trials conducted either in-house or with industry,” said James Cartlidge, UK minister for defence procurement.
By Tim Martin