UK Defence Journal 'Weekly Brief'

British spy planes to keep eye on Russian vessels

January 24, 2025 

The RC-135W Rivet Joint, a dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft, is equipped to gather electronic emissions from communications, radar, and other systems.

Rolls-Royce sign biggest ever deal with Ministry of Defence

January 24, 2025 

Dubbed the “Unity” contract, it encompasses the research, design, manufacture, and support of nuclear reactors that power the Royal Navy’s fleet of submarines,

UK signs £9bn submarine deal

January 24, 2025 

A £9 billion contract between the Ministry of Defence and Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd has been announced.

Union urge UK to buy more Typhoon fighter jets

January 23, 2025 

Unite the union has called on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to choose Typhoon jets when decisions are made on new fast-jet procurement.

British ship shadows Russian ship it’s designed to counter

January 23, 2025 

A remarkable image has surfaced showing RFA Proteus operating alongside the Russian spy ship Yantar in British waters, one of the very ships it was purchased to counter.

Typhoon fighter jettisons canopy over North Sea

January 23, 2025 

A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon was forced to jettison its canopy during a mid-air emergency over the North Sea.

British forces ‘must retain armoured formations’

January 23, 2025 

At the International Armoured Vehicles Conference 2025, held in Farnborough, General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, delivered a keynote speech outlining the critical role of armoured vehicles.

Shadow Defence Secretary urges more defence spending

January 23, 2025 

Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge MP has expressed strong support for the Government’s stance on Russian maritime activity while calling for urgent measures to address growing threats to national security.

UK focus on Arctic amid Russian threat

January 23, 2025 

In a robust exchange in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to addressing evolving threats from Russia, particularly in the high north, as part…

British submarine forces Russian spy ship away from UK

January 23, 2025 

Last November, a British submarine surfaced close to the Russian spy ship Yantar to warn it had been covertly tracked while operating near critical underwater infrastructure.

Former MI6 Chief warns ‘Russia thinks it is at war with us’

January 23, 2025 

The Defence Committee’s inquiry into “Defence in the Grey Zone” featured sobering testimony from Sir Alex Younger, former chief of MI6, who highlighted the increasingly complex threats posed by adversarial…

French carrier launches jets to ‘attack’ British warship

January 23, 2025 

HMS Spey was tasked with evading a French frigate in the Java Sea, followed by a simulated aerial attack by fast jets launched from Charles de Gaulle.