The Ministry of Defence has announced plans to regenerate the nation’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels in collaboration with Sheffield Forgemasters. This development comes after a meeting between Defence Secretary John Healey, President Zelenskyy, and UK defence industry leaders to discuss boosting industrial production for Ukraine. In an update, the Ministry of Defence stated: “The MOD agreed to regenerate the UK’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels, working in partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters, supporting the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles; this is the f ..read more

The UK Border Force has returned a group of migrants to France after their small boat got into trouble in the English Channel. This appears to be a departure from past policy, at a crucial time. Channel crossings are rising again as the weather gets warmer, and remain a controversial part of migration discussions. The Conversation’s Avery Anapol asked Alex Balch, who researches migration and human rights at the University of Liverpool, what this episode means for the future of collaboration between the two countries on crossings. This article is the opinion of the author and not necessarily th ..read more

NATO’s Combined Air Operation Centre (CAOC) in Uedem, Germany, reported the interception of two Russian fighter aircraft flying over international waters in the Baltic Sea by Finnish and Swedish air operation centres on July 15. The aircraft, travelling from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia, was not on a flight plan, not in radio contact with civilian air traffic control, and did not use a transponder signal as required under international aviation rules. Finnish and Swedish quick reaction alert (QRA) forces were launched to intercept the Russian aircraft, highlighting the close integration and ..read more

HMS Queen Elizabeth left dry-dock at Rosyth today after undergoing critical repairs to her starboard propeller shaft coupling and is now back at Sea. This technical issue had previously forced the ship to withdraw from the NATO exercise Steadfast Defender, resulting in HMS Prince of Wales taking her place. However, this early docking has allowed work scheduled for her upcoming redif to be completed earlier than planned. A Royal Navy spokesperson told me : “HMS Queen Elizabeth has completed her defect repair work and capability upgrades at Rosyth and will now undergo a period of sea trials to p ..read more

At Nato’s 75th anniversary summit there has been, as you’d expect, a lot of attention on Russia’s war against Ukraine. It’s undoubtedly the most significant immediate challenge to Nato with wider implications for the rest of the globe. Yet beyond the headlines of the war in Ukraine, an even more significant challenge is looming. There’s no doubt the world is seeing the reconfiguration of the existing international order. China and Russia appear to be gathering together in an alliance which will be pitted directly against the collective West. The latest manifestation of this shift was the summi ..read more

Ground-based testing of the new European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radar on a Eurofighter Typhoon test and evaluation aircraft has been completed, according to the Royal Air Force. This development sets the stage for the upcoming flight trials. The testing was carried out at BAE Systems’ flight testing facility in Warton, Lancashire, with support from Leonardo UK, which developed the radar at its Edinburgh and Luton sites. The process included electromagnetic testing in an anechoic chamber. Group Captain D’Aubyn, Typhoon Programme Director at the RAF, commented, “Embodiment of this protot ..read more

David Lammy MP, the UK Foreign Secretary, addressed the House of Commons this week, stating that “Hamas cannot remain in charge of Gaza. But equally, the Israel Defence Forces cannot remain situated in Gaza.” During his remarks, Lammy spoke of concern for the safety of hostages held in Gaza, detailing ongoing conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and meetings with UK hostage families. “They remain paramount in the Government’s mind as we head, I hope, towards the ceasefire that we all want,” he said. The Foreign Secretary criticised the inadequate aid reaching Gaza, noting that ..read more

The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the F-35 Lightning II, have announced that deliveries of the first Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) configured F-35 aircraft began today. Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft were delivered, one to Dannelly Field, Alabama, and one to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. “We have initiated a phased approach to the delivery of TR-3 F-35 aircraft,” said Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, the JPO’s Program Executive Officer. “The first phase will deliver jets with an initial training capability in July and August. By the end of August, we will ..read more

British firm Marshall has secured a £4.5 million contract extension to continue providing engineering support for the French Air Force’s fleet of 14 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules aircraft. This extension builds on an initial four-year contract, previously extended by two years, awarded by the state-owned maintenance organisation Service Industriel de l’Aéronautique (SIAé). The extended contract will see Marshall continue to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul support, centred around SIAé’s facility in Clermont, France. Additionally, Marshall will supply C-130 parts and repair kits manu ..read more

The Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment (10 QOGLR) played a crucial role in supplying ammunition stores during Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 in Poland. Known as ‘The Iron Vipers,’ 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade ensured the provision of ammunition, food, and fuel to maintain British soldiers’ operational readiness. This exercise marked the largest NATO deployment since the Cold War, involving extensive logistical efforts to support the deployed troops. From January 2024, military and civilian vehicles traversed the roads of Europe, transporting essential supplies, including Challenger 2 m ..read more