Tag: Ministry of Defence

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 3 February 2024.

Today, at the direction of their respective governments, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 3 February 2024.

On 3 February, Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, supported by Voyager tankers, joined US forces in further deliberate strikes against Houthi locations in Yemen involved in their campaign targeting shipping in the Bab al Mandab and southern Red Sea.

The Typhoons employed Paveway IV precision guided bombs against multiple military targets identified by careful intelligence analysis at three locations.

At As Salif, due west of Sanaa on the Red Sea coast, our aircraft targeted a ground control station inside a defensive position. This station had been used to control Houthi drones, both attack and reconnaissance types, launched from further inland, operating over the sea against international shipping.

A second drone ground control station was confirmed to be at Al Munirah, on the same stretch of coastline. As with As Salif, the station provided direct control of reconnaissance and attack drones targeting shipping in the Red Sea, its position on the coast allowing it to maintain the line of sight data links such weapons require to target ships with any accuracy.

The Typhoons also attacked a significant number of targets at Bani. An initial group of facilities there were successfully struck by the RAF on the night of 11 January, and since then a further set of buildings at the site had been positively confirmed as involved in the Houthi drone and missile operations and were duly targeted on this occasion.

As is standard practice with such operations by the Royal Air Force, the strikes were very carefully planned to ensure minimal risk of civilian casualties, and by bombing at night, any such risks were further mitigated.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 February 2024.

UK security will be boosted through a vast new contract – worth nearly £2 billion – that will ensure the long-term availability and resilience of critical naval assets.

• £1.85 billion contract to sustain world-class leading sonar and sensors for Royal Navy ships and submarines
• Defence Secretary announces 450 UK jobs to be created or sustained across the UK
• AI and data management to analyse availability and reduce repair times and increase ship availability

UK security will be boosted through a vast new contract – worth nearly £2 billion – that will ensure the long-term availability and resilience of critical assets used by Royal Navy ships and submarines over the next 15 years.

Announced by Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, on his first visit to His Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport, the Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team (MSET) contract with Thales UK will aim to provide full availability of the equipment that is the eyes and ears of the Royal Navy.

Utilising data technology, including AI and virtual reality to be more proactive and predictive maintenance systems, the contract will see the Royal Navy maximise the days they are ready to deploy.

The contract will support sonar – our ability to hear underneath the water – masts, periscopes and also electronic warfare equipment that enable the Royal Navy to detect and target potential threats. Crucially, by increasing the longevity of our sensor and sonar capability, it will significantly increase equipment availability which is critical for the Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) and wider ship and submarine capabilities.

Touring the naval base and speaking with Royal Navy sailors and civilian staff, Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, thanked the workforce for the incredibly important role they play in maintaining UK security, particularly at a time of heightened global tensions.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said:

In a time of global instability, it is imperative we minimise the time our ships and submarines are out for maintenance.

This is another partnership with Thales UK and our outstanding UK defence sector that not only boosts national security but provides a boost to local communities and helps fuel economic growth.

Devonport Naval Base is an incredibly impressive facility with staff who play a role of such magnitude it cannot be underestimated.

Around 300 UK jobs from a previous Thales UK support contract will be sustained and a further 150 STEM jobs, including highly skilled engineering roles and apprenticeships, will be created across Devonport, Faslane, Glasgow, Portsmouth, Cheadle, Crawley and Bristol. This contract also safeguards jobs from across an extensive UK supply chain.

The contract, awarded by Defence Equipment & Support – the MOD’s procurement arm – will improve the facilities at HMNB Devonport, Faslane, Portsmouth and Bahrain and deliver advanced test and repair capabilities. This enhanced waterfront presence will allow equipment to be triaged at source, thereby enabling rapid improvements in fault diagnosis, thereby reducing repair times.

The Defence Secretary’s visit to HMNB Devonport follows a £750 million funding boost to the naval base, announced in November 2023, that will significantly improve the infrastructure. Creating around 1,000 construction roles, the work will also support maintenance of existing and future submarines, and enhance the dockyard’s ability to deliver major defence projects.

The Southwest recently became the country’s Marine and Maritime Launchpad, recognising its leadership in the sector. The area will receive an additional £7.5 million in funding to support outstanding innovation projects within maritime. The shipbuilding enterprise directly supports over 43,000 jobs across the country, with over 19,000 employed in the Southwest alone.

Alex Cresswell, Chairman and CEO of Thales in the UK, said:

Thales is delighted to strengthen our century long partnership with the Royal Navy, and support its vital role in defending the UK and keeping the world’s critical sea lanes open.

This £1.8 billion contract with Thales will help keep more Royal Navy ships at sea for longer, by harnessing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, data analysis and improved dockland facilities.

Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Martin Connell said:

The warships and submarines of the Royal Navy rely on the latest cutting-edge sensors and sonars to give us a key warfighting edge.

The new contract is a significant commitment from the MoD and Thales-UK to improving the availability of our equipment, maximising its effectiveness and enabling the Royal Navy to operate with confidence.

This significant investment in our ship and submarine sensors will ensure our equipment is at the cutting edge of technology.

Vice Admiral Paul Marshall, Director General Ships, DE&S said:

I am delighted that we have been able to secure a 15-year contract with Thales UK that will ensure the long-term support for major sonar, mast, periscope and electronic warfare equipment that are critical for Ship and Submarine capabilities.

Achieving this notable milestone is testament to the tremendous effort from all involved, both DE&S and Thales, where there has been determined focus on establishing long-term efficiencies and improvements that are vital to improving overall equipment availability.

Senior Responsible Owner for Naval Support Integrated Global Network Program, Graeme Little, said:

The signing of the contract is a significant milestone for the Support of Sonars and Sensors across the Royal Navy, I am delighted that we have put in place a contract focussed on a Value for Money solution that will drive availability and resilience into these critical capabilities and improve the Lived Experience of Royal Navy Engineers.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 February 2024.

Hundreds of Royal Marines and Army Commandos are conducting extreme cold weather training alongside allies in Norway ahead of Exercise Nordic Response.

• Royal Marines and Army Commandos are conducting cold weather training alongside allies in Norway.
• The Commando Force is based at Camp Viking – established last year as the UK’s main operations hub for the High North.
• Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, met the commandos this week during a visit for bilateral talks on defence cooperation with the Norwegian Defence Minister.

Hundreds of Royal Marines and Army Commandos are conducting extreme cold weather training alongside allies in Norway, operating where temperatures can plummet below –50C, ahead of Exercise Nordic Response.

This year, they are based out of Camp Viking in Øverbygd, established last year as the UK’s main operations hub in the Arctic for the next decade. Around a thousand commandos are stationed at the camp, practicing cold weather and mountain warfare techniques and testing new equipment and tactics.

The Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, visited the camp this week to observe the training programme.

He was in Norway for bilateral meetings on Tuesday with Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram, State Secretary Anne Marie Aanerud, and Chief of Defence General Eirik Kristoffersen. The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss the situation in Ukraine, and Norway’s approach to maintaining security in the Barents Sea.

Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said:

The UK and Norway’s close alliance was forged through adversity in the darkest days of the Second World War, when British commandos were key to challenging the occupation of Norway by Nazi forces.

Today our enduring relationship is more important than ever, and our joint activity in the High North both increases our collective readiness and sends a powerful message of deterrence to Putin’s forces.

Every year, members of the UK Commando Force travel to Norway, in partnership with personnel from other militaries, to rehearse cold weather fighting techniques in a range of training scenarios, from high-intensity warfare to terror threats and mass demonstrations.

Camp Viking is the focal point for delivery of Mountain and Cold Weather Warfare training and is strategically placed to support NATO operations.

The skills and lessons learned in the mountains and fjords of Norway can be applied to any environment in which UK commandos may operate in the future – the idea being that if you can operate in the Arctic Circle, you can operate anywhere.

Exercise Nordic Response, a biannual training exercise in which the UK participates alongside Norway, Sweden, and Finland, will this year form part of the major multi-domain NATO exercise Steadfast Defender, which is the alliance’s largest exercise since the Cold War.

20,000 personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force will be contributing to Steadfast Defender 24 alongside 31 NATO allies and Sweden – with the UK forming 40 per cent of the exercise’s land forces.

Enhancing the coalition between the UK and her NATO allies, Steadfast Defender 24 will bring NATO nations together to test and refine defence plans approved at the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 29 January 2024.

Thousands of Armed Forces veterans can now apply for their HM Armed Forces Veteran Card following the launch of the service.

• Veteran Cards application service opens today
• Thousands who left the forces before December 2018 eligible to apply
• Cards confirm veteran status and simplify access to support services

After months of testing, veterans who left the Armed Forces before December 2018 can verify their veteran status online with a new digital application service to receive a Veteran Card through the post. A paper-based application process is also available as an alternative to the digital system.

With around two million veterans in the UK, Defence Minister Andrew Murrison has welcomed the rollout of Veterans Cards, and the benefit it will have for the veterans community.

Minister for Defence People and Service Families, Rt Hon Dr Andrew Murrison, said:

It is essential that every veteran can quickly verify their status and easily receive the support they need and deserve.

These Veteran Cards illustrate our gratitude and appreciation for those who have proudly served this country, and the incredible sacrifices they have made.

The Veteran Card will provide veterans with a clear recognition of service, a tangible link to the Armed Forces, and allow them to easily verify their veteran status to access support and services from government, charities, and local authorities.

The Veteran Card service is being delivered by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), together with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, as part of the work to improve the support available for veterans. The Ministry of Defence OD has worked with the Government Digital Service One Login team to engage with thousands of veterans to build the systems needed to process large volumes of card applications accurately and securely.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer, said:

I am committed to improving the support available to our former service personnel who we owe a huge debt of gratitude.

Today is a huge step forward in helping veterans to prove their service, enabling them to access support services more easily.

I would urge all veterans to apply for their Veteran Card, and use it to access the services, such as Veteran Railcards and specialist healthcare, they are entitled to.

The Veteran Card has already been provided to all service leavers as part of the discharge process with effect from 18 February 2019, and retrospectively to those who left on or after 17 December 2018.

To apply for a Veteran Card visit www.gov.uk/veteran-card

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 26 January 2024.

The Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps presented hundreds of personnel from the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment with a medal for their contributions to NATO peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 25 January 2024.

British Army battlefield mobility will be bolstered in a new £150 million contract for military-grade general support bridges which will secure 300 UK jobs.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 January 2024.

Personnel leaving the military are to receive more support for finding jobs in civilian life thanks to a new contract between the Ministry of Defence and Reed.

• Number of professional training courses for soon-to-be veterans more than doubled.
• New Career Transition Partnership (CTP) with Reed in Partnership will continue the award-winning work supporting service leavers.
• Training in areas ranging from transport to cyber security will give service leavers the best opportunity of finding employment.

Under the contract the number of courses for service leavers will be doubled, and they will have the opportunity to learn new skills in areas such as cyber security.

The Career Transition Partnership has supported those leaving the Armed Forces for over 25 years, as they transition from the military into civilian life.

With approximately 15,000 service leavers benefitting from these services annually and 87% of those using the system gaining employment, the partnership will improve the advice on offer for service leavers around the country. Services, which will be a combination of face to face, online and instructor led, will also be tailored to those living in devolved nations. Courses will be geared towards future careers in areas like engineering, cyber security, healthcare and renewable energy.

Minister for Defence People and Families, Rt. Hon Dr Andrew Murrison MP said:

It is vital that service leavers are given the correct tools to have the best possible start in their new lives. From career counselling to vocational training, this new partnership will give individuals the confidence and skills to find employment and increase their opportunities.

I am thrilled to announce this new partnership, which will continue the award-winning work to support Armed Forces personnel and their families as they transition to civilian life.

This collaboration reinforces our commitment to providing the best possible opportunities for those who have bravely served our country.

All service leavers will benefit from enhanced transition support from specialist advisors and careers consultants under the new contract, to meet their chosen outcomes which typically range from seeking civilian employment, re-entering Higher/Further Education or retirement.

The transition from the current contract with Right Management Ltd to Reed in Partnership will be complete in October 2024, starting with a phased approach to ensure that the services offered to current service leavers are not disrupted.

Over the previous 25 years the award-winning CTP has supported over 310,000 service leavers to transition into civilian life, the new partnership with Reed will build on the excellence of the current contract.

CEO and Chairman of Reed in Partnership, James Reed CBE said:

Reed in Partnership has a long history of supporting people to achieve their goals through employability, education, training and career transition services. This includes many veterans and reservists, whose unique skills and experiences can be so greatly utilised in civilian life.

As an Armed Forces Covenant signee, we are committed to ensuring that people who serve or have served in the armed forces and their families are treated fairly and supported appropriately. Our delivery of the CTP service will be informed by this commitment. Our extensive range of employer relationships and community partnerships means we are well placed to continue the success of this important service.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 22 January 2024.

On 22 January, the UK conducted further strikes against Houthi targets. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a pair of Voyager tankers, joined US forces in a deliberate strike against Houthi sites in Yemen.

The press release by the Ministry of Defence on 22 January 2024.

Today, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, at the direction of their respective governments with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 8 Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis’ continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea.