Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

James Heappey meets counterparts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia with talks focusing on cooperation on regional security.

In Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he met with officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko, Deputy Defence Minister Lieutenant General Sultan Burkutbayevich Kamaletdinov and members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security of the Mazhilis of Parliament, to discuss future cooperation on peacekeeping missions. The Minister also welcomed Kazakhstan’s support for the sanctions regime against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine.

For over 20 years, the UK has assisted Kazakhstan in building the capability of the Peace Operations Centre (KAZCENT), helping to enable Kazakh deployments on peace support operations such as the UN missions in Côte d’Ivoire, Lebanon and Western Sahara. These efforts have been underpinned by military English language training delivered by the UK.

The minister then travelled to Uzbekistan on Wednesday, where he held regional security talks with the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Bakhodir Kurbanov, as well as the Commander of the National Guard, General Rustam Jo’rayev, and Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev. He also laid a wreath at the Victory Park in Tashkent to pay tribute to Uzbek soldiers who lost their lives in World War Two.

His visit concluded in Mongolia, where he became the first British defence minister to visit the country. He met Defence Minister Gürsediin Saikhanbayar and discussed cooperation on peacekeeping missions. The UK and Mongolia have an especially close relationship: our soldiers have served together in Afghanistan and as peacekeepers in South Sudan, and 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the UK becoming the first Western country to forge diplomatic relations with Mongolia.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Rt Hon James Heappey MP, said:

My visits this week form part of the approach outlined in the recent Defence Command Paper as we build our strategic international partnerships across Asia, in the interests of security and prosperity for everyone.

I’ve held productive discussions with defence ministers and military leaders in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, laying the groundwork for future cooperation, especially on peacekeeping operations.

As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, the UK is committed to strengthening engagement with Central Asia and Mongolia to boost their prosperity, security and resistance to Russian interference.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

Four RAF Typhoon jets have been deployed to Poland, to conduct exercises with aircraft from Spain, Poland, and Italy.

The deployment will provide an opportunity for RAF pilots to practice dogfighting against different types of aircraft, and develop tactics to exploit their weaknesses.

The Typhoons, which deployed to Poland today, will remain in Poland for two weeks and practice engaging targets beyond visual range, simulating various possible combat scenarios. They will be supported by a team of more than 50 RAF personnel during the deployment.

It is just one of many joint exercises conducted with Polish forces, including the UK’s permanent deployment of hundreds of troops in Poland as part of our NATO commitment under Operation CABRIT.

The activity comes ahead of UK Ministers attending the Warsaw Security Forum this week. Defence Minister James Heappey and FCDO ministers Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Lord Ahmad will all use the forum to stress the need to maintain support for Ukraine and keep up the pressure on Russia.

Earlier this year, the UK and Polish foreign secretaries and defence ministers signed a strategic partnership on foreign policy, security and defence – emphasising both countries’ commitment to European security and collective defence through NATO.

On Wednesday, James Heappey will visit RAF personnel deployed with the Typhoons, as well as troops deployed in eastern Poland who operate the Sky Sabre surface-to-air missile system, bolstering Poland’s air defences close to the border with Ukraine.

The Warsaw Security Forum is focused on transatlantic cooperation in response to common challenges, first organised in 2014, bringing together ministers and senior officials from across defence to provide a forum to discuss challenges facing Central and Eastern Europe, and the wider international community.

The UK is the Partner Nation of this year’s Warsaw Security forum and the British Embassy Warsaw has worked closely with the Polish government and conference organisers to design a programme that reflected the UK’s objectives and views, as outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 and the Defence Command Paper 2023.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

Next phase of next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine is underway.

UK businesses will be behind the design and manufacture of the world’s most advanced submarines, following the awarding of £4 billion of contracts today [1 October].

The signing of the Detailed Design and Long Leads (D2L2) Phase with BAE Systems (BAES), Rolls-Royce and Babcock represents a significant milestone for both the UK and the trilateral AUKUS programme as a whole, in the lead up to build the future class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, known as SSN-AUKUS.

The contracts totalling £4 billion will progress the programme through the design, prototyping and purchase of main long lead components for the first UK submarines, allowing construction to commence in the coming years and ensure the stability and resilience of our domestic supply chain.

Building on more than 60 years of British expertise in designing, building and operating nuclear-powered submarines, the D2L2 contracts will support thousands of highly skilled jobs in the UK – a clear demonstration of how the AUKUS programme supports the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

Alongside the design development and long-lead procurement, infrastructure at the submarine shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness and the nuclear reactor manufacturing site in Raynesway, Derby will be developed and expanded where needed to meet the requirement of the future submarine build programme.

The aim is to deliver the first UK submarines into service in the late 2030s to replace the current Astute-Class vessels, and the first Australian submarines will follow in the early 2040s. They will be the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in one vessel.

Construction of the UK’s submarines will take place principally in Barrow-in-Furness, while Australia will work over the next decade to build up its submarine industrial base, and will build its submarines in Australia with Rolls-Royce supplying the nuclear reactors for all UK and Australian submarines.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

UK forces will deploy to Kosovo following increasing tensions in the northern part of the country.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps visited multiple military locations, vowing for personnel to remain at the heart of our Armed Forces.

People will remain at the heart of our Armed Forces, the Defence Secretary has said, as he made his first visits as Defence Secretary to the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

The Defence Secretary prioritised meeting Armed Forces personnel to understand their experiences and give his steadfast commitment to supporting serving personnel and their families.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

The work of each and every one of our Armed Forces personnel is critical to our nation’s security, and I am grateful for their tireless dedication and expertise, and proud to be leading such a brilliant organisation.

I am committed to protecting the security and prosperity of our nation while ensuring that all personnel and their families have the best possible experience, from childcare and accommodation, to pay and equipment.

On his visit to the Navy in Portsmouth, the Defence Secretary met with serving Navy personnel to understand their experiences and opportunities they have had in the forces.

He toured Type 45 HMS Defender which has recently been at the heart of joint operations with the UK’s allies, having completed four operations and four exercises in the year prior to her refit – including Exercise Formidable Shield. The Defence Secretary received briefs on Navy priorities and met with representatives from BAE Systems – a key defence partner – which is supporting thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the UK.

On Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, visiting the Army, the Defence Secretary and Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders, met the British soldiers at the centre of the UK-led training programme which has trained more than 26,500 Ukrainian recruits to date. He heard their inspiring stories and observed the world-leading training, before receiving briefings on the Army’s priorities, including modernisation.

At RAF Waddington, accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, the Defence Secretary met the personnel serving at the station – including 51 and XIII Squadrons, who operate Rivet Joint and Reaper Aircraft respectively. The Defence Secretary heard about their experiences in the Armed Forces and the work they have recently done. Grant Shapps was briefed on the intelligence gathering roles the RAF provides for defence.

Providing the often-unseen elements of Defence is Strategic Command, based at Northwood, London and led by its Commander, General Sir Jim Hockenhull. During a meeting with General Jim, the Defence Secretary was briefed on the work of the specialists in the organisation such as cyber operators, intelligence analysts, medics, and logisticians.

By integrating capabilities across Defence, Strategic Command ensures our Armed Forces are ready to respond anytime and anywhere. People are the key to making this work, and the Defence Secretary discussed the broad range of initiatives ongoing in Strategic Command to attract, upskill, and retain people, particularly those with science, digital and technical skills.

This week, the Defence Secretary also visited Kyiv with Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to discuss the UK’s steadfast support to Ukraine.

Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

I am pleased the Secretary of State has had an opportunity to see how the Armed Forces are adapting to the lessons from the war in Ukraine, and to a world of state-on-state competition.

An Army that is benefitting from a £40 billion investment programme to become even more lethal and even stronger within NATO. A Royal Air Force which is transitioning from fourth-generation aircraft to fifth-generation aircraft, more capacity to transport people and cargoes, and is improving our ability to both use and defend in space. A Royal Navy that is a carrier force once again with an enhanced global presence and an ongoing renewal of our nuclear deterrent.  And all our Services striving to make more use of technology and data both to provide the winning edge and look after our people better.

Most of all I am pleased the Secretary of State is able to meet even more of our people. It is their commitment and skill, and the partnerships they forge internationally and with industry, that keep our nation safe.