Tag: Ministry of Defence

Royal Air Force personnel have returned to the UK after leading NATO’s Baltic air policing mission in Estonia for four months, during which pilots intercepted 50 Russian aircraft and flew for a combined total of more than 500 hours.

Members of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (140 EAW) have been deployed to Ämari Air Base since the start of March, along with a squadron of RAF Typhoon fighter jets, to conduct Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) intercepts of Russian aircraft transiting close to NATO airspace.

Typhoon jets and their pilots from IX(Bomber) and 1(Fighter) squadrons had deployed to Estonia from RAF Lossiemouth, where the majority of 140 EAW’s personnel have now returned.

The deployment, named Op Azotize, began with RAF pilots flying missions alongside the German Air Force – during which the first ever air joint air intercept between NATO allies took place, as British and German Typhoons shadowed a Russian air-to-air refuelling aircraft and transport aircraft.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Hundreds of RAF pilots and personnel have spent months away from their families, working round-the-clock alongside our allies to keep Europe’s skies safe.

The UK’s successful leadership of NATO’s air policing mission in Estonia, resulting in the interception of dozens of Russian aircraft by the RAF, sends a strong message to Putin that we stand united with our allies against any threat to our borders.

Personnel from 140EAW were held at a moment’s notice to intercept Russian aircraft that do not liaise with NATO-controlled regional air traffic agencies and do not file flight plans, thus failing to adhere to international norms. This, in turn, creates a flight safety risk that must be investigated and monitored by NATO aircraft to ensure the safety of all air traffic in the region.

After taking full leadership of the air policing mission, RAF Typhoons flew QRA intercepts on a regular basis – including a 21-day period in which Russian fighters, long-range bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft were intercepted 21 times.

During the course of the deployment, operations were conducted in coordination with the Portuguese and Romanian Air Forces, which jointly led the NATO air policing mission in Lithuania.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie DL said:

Following a successful deployment to Estonia from our strategic airbase at Lossiemouth, I pay tribute to the commitment and dedication of personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing for their role in protecting NATO airspace over the last four months. The day to day, personal sacrifices made not only by the individuals but also their families in the name of duty are nothing short of commendable. It is reflective of the important contribution to our defence capability from all parts of the UK.

Our work with European partners and our NATO Allies continues to provide the backbone to European security, of which our pilots, aircrews and RAF personnel have all formed a central part. They should be proud of what they have achieved

While deployed to Estonia, the RAF has also taken part in a number of major exercises with NATO allies, including Exercise Air Defender, the largest NATO Air Deployment exercise since the end of the Cold War, with more than 250 aircraft and 10,000 personnel taking part from 25 nations. The RAF contribution to the exercise combined Typhoons from 140 EAW based in Estonia and 903 EAW based in Cyprus, and included F-35, Voyager and A-400M aircraft flying from the UK.

The RAF Typhoons of 140EAW conducted multiple exercises with NATO’s newest member Finland, including joint training in the Arctic Circle, as well as with future Alliance member Sweden. These exercises ensure the strength and unity of the alliance as well as deterring and defending against threats to NATO security

On Wednesday, the Commanding Officer of 140 EAW, Wing Commander Scott MacColl, formally handed over leadership of the air policing mission in Estonia to the Spanish Air Force.

Air & Space Commander, Air Marshal Harv Smyth, said:

The RAF is committed to its role within NATO of collective defence, to ensure the strength and unity of the alliance and to deter and defend against threats to NATO security. While in Estonia, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing has excelled, participating in 12 major NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force exercises in addition to the Air Policing role.

I am extremely proud of the whole force’s hard work and dedication. Now that they are back in the UK, their focus will be straight back to providing UK quick reaction alert where they will help ensure the safety and integrity of UK airspace, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The NATO Baltic Air Policing mission was established at Amari base in Estonia and Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania in 2014 after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Allies who contribute to the mission deploy to the air bases in Eastern Europe on a four month rotational basis, providing protection and assurance to all NATO members as well as partner nations.

The UK’s defence commitment to Estonia will continue through Op Cabrit, with more than 1,000 soldiers from the British Army currently stationed at Tapa Army Base to form the UK’s contribution to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence along its eastern border with Russia.

• Rare species of blue butterfly has been sighted as a result of the restoration of habitats at military training area.
• Conservation project at Barry Buddon Training Area in Angus, Scotland, is proving successful.
• Demonstrating MoD’s commitment to supporting nature recovery across the Defence estate.

A project to restore habitats for the rare Small Blue butterfly at Barry Buddon Training Area has seen success this summer, with the elusive species spotted flying on site.

The butterfly is a priority species on the Scottish Biodiversity List, and the sighting of the butterfly at Barry Buddon follows years of conservation efforts by Defence Infrastructure Organisation ecologists and industry partner, Landmarc, to restore habitats for the species in the area.

A pair of the Small Blue butterflies were identified on the military training area during a visit hosted by DIO’s ecology team and a representative from Species on the Edge – a conservation programme focused on reversing the decline of vulnerable coastal species in Scotland – to survey the project’s progress.

Through planting the butterfly’s sole food source, the plant Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), the habitat restoration efforts have created a feeding corridor for the Small Blue across the training area. With support from DIO ecologists, Landmarc teams have established Kidney Vetch along road and track verges to restore connectivity between breeding colonies of the Small Blue and boost the butterfly’s populations within Barry Buddon training area and the surrounding local region.

The sighting of the Small Blue butterfly at Barry Buddon Training Area this summer comes just in time for The Big Butterfly Count, a UK-wide initiative led by the Butterfly Conservation charity and aimed at helping to assess the health of our environment by counting the amount and type of butterflies that can be seen across the country.

Minister of State for Defence, Baroness Goldie, said:

The presence of the Small Blue butterfly at Barry Buddon Training Area is wonderful news and demonstrates our commitment to maintaining and improving biodiversity on our estates.

The work of DIO and Landmarc, supported by the Butterfly Conservation charity, shows how we can effectively conduct training for our Armed Forces whilst taking care of our environment and delivering on the Government’s biodiversity commitments.’

I strongly support work being done to minimise our impact on the environment and optimise environmental potential whilst keeping our nation safe.

The work has been funded by the DIO Conservation Stewardship Fund and contributes to a wider biodiversity initiative in the Angus region to restore populations of the Small Blue, which have been in decline in the UK since the 1950s.

The project team at Barry Buddon has received support from the Butterfly Conservation charity, which has helped monitor the Small Blue population on the training area, along with sharing advice and information on the conservation of the butterfly and its habitats.

Lt Col Alan Grant, DIO Commander of the UK Defence Training Estate Scotland and Northern Ireland said:

MOD land is home to some of the most unique and naturally diverse landscapes in the UK, and our Scottish estate is no exception. The primary use of the land is to enable our military to train safely, but we are equally committed to supporting nature recovery and balancing the conservation of vital species and habitats with military training requirements.

It is extremely encouraging to witness first-hand the impact that the habitat restoration work for the Small Blue butterfly is having at Barry Buddon. The project is playing a key role in helping to enhance biodiversity, not just on our training estate, but across the wider Angus region, and I look forward to seeing its continued success.

Comprising 930 hectares of coastal plain on the Tay Estuary between Carnoustie and Monifieth, Barry Buddon is an active military training area, and the work has been carried out in balance with military training requirements.

Because of its scenery and wildlife value, Barry Buddon is an ideal location for enjoying coastal walks and wildlife watching. However, members of the public are asked to access the land only when and where it is safe to do so due to the dangers of live military training.

The MoD supports the delivery of the government’s sustainability objectives through the Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach. The work being done across the MoD estate ensures that it is resilient and adaptable for responding to future risks and addresses the implications for defence capabilities, whilst respecting and minimising the impacts on the environment, availability of resources and changes in the climatic and geographical arena.

The UK has strengthened its defence ties with key partners in the Indo-Pacific following the visit of a senior defence minister, demonstrating our commitment to the security and stability of the region as the UK Armed Forces carry out joint exercises in the area.

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey visited Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, as part of a regional engagement plan to demonstrate the UK’s continued commitment across Asia and the Pacific.

The Minister’s visit coincided with a large-scale deployment of over 150 members of the Royal Marines, Army and RAF for the Australian-led Exercise Talisman Sabre. This is the largest training activity between Australian, UK and US Armed Forces and ensures interoperability in regional operations. In addition, UK forces are also deployed on Exercise Mobility Guardian, which saw an RAF A400M conduct its longest ever flight of twenty-two hours from RAF Brize Norton to Guam, demonstrating the UK’s ability to deploy into the region.

The UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region was reaffirmed in the recently published Integrated Review Refresh and Defence Command Paper Refresh (DCPR). The DCPR confirmed the continued deployment of the Royal Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels HMS SPEY and HMS TAMAR, which have been deployed in the region since leaving the UK in September 2021. The UK’s persistent maritime presence is only set to be increased with visits from Commando Force Littoral Response Group later this year, and the Carrier Strike Group which will return in 2025, building on its maiden voyage in 2021.

Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said:

The UK is committed to strengthening our existing partnerships with friends and allies in the region, towards maintaining peace and protecting the rules based international order.

During my meetings with defence ministers, military chiefs and senior government officials across the region, I reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to playing a full and active role in ensuring a free, safe and open Indo-Pacific.

The Minister first visited Singapore where he met his counterpart, Deputy Defence Minister Zaqy Mohamad, to discuss ongoing defence cooperation, the UK’s Defence Command Paper Refresh and lessons learnt from Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In a subsequent visit to Fiji, Minister Heappey met Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and thanked him for Fiji’s continued contribution of service personnel to the UK Armed Forces and discussed the UK and Fiji’s work to tackle maritime security threats in the South Pacific and support for UN peacekeeping missions.

In Australia, Minister Heappey met with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, the defence ministerial team, chiefs and senior officials to discuss the UK’s security ties with Australia – including Five Eyes and AUKUS – and the direct link between security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. The Minister also met the crews of the ships maintaining the UK’s persistent presence.

This was followed by a visit to Malaysia where Minister Heappey met the Minister of Defence, Mohammad Haji Hasan, to strengthen our bilateral defence partnership, in addition to the UK’s continued contribution to the Five Powers Defence Agreement.

The trip culminated with a visit to the Republic of Korea, where Minister Heappey represented the UK at national commemoration events for the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice. The Minister laid a wreath at the Battle of Imjin Memorial, also known as the Gloster Hill Memorial, in memory of personnel from The Gloucestershire Regiment who died in one of the conflict’s deadliest battles. He accompanied 11 British Korean War Veterans and four who served in Korea following the War, at national commemorative events.

Across the country today, commemorations are being held to remember the sacrifice of British personnel who fought and died in the Korean War to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended military conflict.

In London, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and Defence Minister Baroness Goldie will lead the UK in remembering the 81,084 UK men and women who served in the conflict, including more than 1,000 British servicemen who were killed in action, at a Royal British Legion national memorial service on Horse Guards Parade in London.

Up to 1,000 people, including His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Yoon Yeocheol, and Korean war veterans, are expected to pay their respects at the ceremony outside the British Army’s Headquarters in London, where the Chief of the Defence Staff and Baroness Goldie will each lay a wreath.

Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said:

It’s an honour to be in the Republic of Korea to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice alongside the veterans from the conflict.

81,000 British Troops fought alongside the UN and Korea, with 1,108 paying the ultimate price. This anniversary presents an opportunity to reflect with pride on the role that all played in securing freedom for South Korea, on which a vibrant, dynamic and democratic society has been built.

The anniversary is also an opportunity to celebrate the successes of our long enduring friendship and to reiterate the UK’s commitment to upholding peace and security in the Indo Pacific, and around the world.

In the Republic of Korea, Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey yesterday (Wednesday 26 July) and the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders laid wreaths at the Battle of Imjin Memorial, also known as the Gloster Hill Memorial, in memory of personnel from The Gloucestershire Regiment who died in one of the conflict’s deadliest battles.

Today, tribute will also be paid by the Minister to the UN partner forces who came from around the world to repel the North Korean invasion.

The Minister will attend a special commemoration ceremony hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans to mark UN Forces Participation Day.

Joining the Minister will be 11 British veterans of the conflict and four who served in Korea after the war, who have travelled to the nation with their families for the anniversary.

Elsewhere across the UK, commemorations will be held at the Scottish Korean War Memorial in West Lothian, with all three services represented by senior and junior ranks.

The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire hosted an early morning ceremony attended by representatives of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force, who laid wreaths at the Korea Memorial and Armed Forces Memorial. A Piper from F Company Scots Guards also performed.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said:

As the UK marks 140 years of relations with the Republic of Korea, we come together to remember all the thousands of people who fought for freedom in the Korean War 70 years ago. Those who sacrificed their lives will never be forgotten. Freedom is one of our most precious global attributes and those who died in the Korean War remind us that freedom is never free.

At Horse Guards, three currently serving personnel will deliver readings and serving personnel will also build a Drumhead – a traditional Army service where Regimental drums are placed on top of each other to form an altar, before an Army Bugler will sound The Last Post and lead into a two-minute silence. The silence will be broken by the Bugler playing the Reveille.

British Army Band Colchester will play the National Anthem and contribute to a performance of a Korean folk song.

The Korean War

The Korean War began on June 25 1950 when the Northern Korean People’s Army, backed by the Soviet Union, launched a military operation to conquer South Korea and unify the territories of the Peninsula under the North Korean communist regime.

The UK and the United States were among several nations that heeded the United Nations’ call to take up arms in defence of South Korea, with 81,084 British personnel serving in the theatre of operations. 1,106 British troops died in action.

Armistice negotiations began in July 1951, but it wasn’t until two years later that a peace agreement was signed at Panmunjom and hostilities between the two nations finally ceased.

The conflict is often referred to as the ‘forgotten war’ because of the relatively scant attention it receives in comparison to other conflicts of the era, namely the Second World War and the Cold War.

The Korean War Memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens, which takes the form of a bronze statue of a British soldier, was gifted by the Republic of Korea to the UK in 2014 to honour the British troops that served in the conflict.

The UK and South Korea

2023 marks 140 years of UK-Korea relations, with South Korea remaining a critical partner for the UK as both countries seek to uphold a rules-based international system, promote peace in the region and protect freedom of navigation.

The UK has made a clear commitment to enhancing Indo-Pacific security, by shifting greater resource to the region and developing nations’ ability to police and protect their waters.

Two Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels are deployed to the Indo-Pacific on a permanent basis, and in their first year of operation succeeded in enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea, helping the Fijian government to combat illegal fishing and providing humanitarian assistance to Tonga following the January 2022 Tsunami.

The UK’s Carrier Strike Group will return to the Indo-Pacific in 2025, representing our commitment to exercise the best capabilities our Armed Forces have to offer alongside partners in the region.

• Export opportunities discussed between Defence counterparts.
• UK and Turkish Minsters discussed greater military and industry cooperation.
• Meeting held at International Defence Industry Fair in Turkey.

The UK and Turkey’s defence relationship will continue to strengthen, following Ministerial meetings at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) hosted in Istanbul.

At IDEF, the Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge met with the Turkish Deputy Defence Minister, Celal Sami Tüfekci and the president of the Turkish Defence Industry Agency, Professor Doctor Haluk Görgün.

The meetings covered a range of topics, including equipment, exports and further opportunities for cooperation across the shared domains.

Also at IDEF, the Minister celebrated the joint venture and signing of an MOU with Nurol Mankina and NP Aerospace which declares their intent to invest in the UK Defence industry.

In recent years, the relationship between the two nations has gone from strength-to-strength, with a strong and growing defence industrial relationship with Turkey that covers air, land and sea domains, and in particular the UK industry continues to work with Turkish counterparts to develop their TF-X Combat aircraft.

Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge said:

The UK-Turkey relationship is stronger than ever. We share an enduring defence partnership with our respective industries, and we are committed to addressing our shared security challenges.

It was a pleasure to meet the Turkish Deputy Defence Minister and President of the Turkish Defence Industry Agency, and I look forward to continuing to deepening those ties.

British industry was on display during the event which was attended by BAE Systems, Leonardo and Rolls-Royce.

During the visit, the UK and Turkey reaffirmed its commitment to the UK Defence Industry and agreed to continue collaborating with international partners and industry.

A new ID card for armed forces veterans, which will help them access specialist support and services, has started to be issued to service leavers.

From today, any personnel who have left the military since December 2018 will automatically be given one of the new ID cards, which will allow them to maintain a tangible link to their career in the forces.

The cards allow veterans to easily verify their service to the NHS, their local authority, and charities, helping them to access support and services where needed.

All other veterans will be able to apply for a new ID card by the end of this year, to mark their time in the armed forces.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said:

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the ex-forces community, and we are working hard to ensure they receive the support they deserve.

These new cards celebrate the great commitment and dedication of those who have served this country, and I hope they can provide a further link to ex-personnel and the incredible community around them.

Veterans UK – which manages pensions and compensation payments for the armed forces – local authorities, service charities, NHS and GPs will also benefit from the change, as they will not have to conduct time-consuming checks to identify individual veterans.

The new ID card is one of three that are available to service leavers. Personnel leaving the armed forces are also able to keep their military IDs, known as the MOD Form 90, allowing them to maintain their emotional connection with their service. Additionally, veterans can access a range of discounts through the Defence Discount Service, the official MOD-endorsed service for the armed forces.

Last year saw the launch of the Strategy for our Veterans, published jointly by the UK, Welsh and Scottish Governments, which sets out the key areas of support for those who have left the armed forces. The consultation closed on Thursday 21 February.

All relevant government departments have a responsibility to ensure that the military community is treated fairly, and not disadvantaged by their service, as part of the Armed Forces Covenant. The new ID cards will ensure the process of validating service is as straightforward as possible, so that ex-forces personnel can access support for issues related to their service quickly, where needed.

The cards will complement the NHS’ commitment to providing specialist health support for veterans in every part of the health service, enabling ex-service personnel in England, Scotland and Wales to access treatment where they have been affected by their service. Last year, NHS England announced that dedicated mental healthcare services are up and running in every part of the country, backed by £10 million of investment, with increasing numbers of GPs and hospitals becoming ‘Veteran Aware’, in order to fully address the needs of those who have served.

Any veteran in need of support can contact the Veterans’ Gateway – the 24 hour service which signposts ex-forces personnel to the wide range of support available to them, including housing and financial advice, career guidance, and medical care from the NHS. Since being set up in 2017, the Veterans’ Gateway has already received over 20,000 contacts, advising ex-forces personnel and their families.

The OVA led the initial Discovery and Alpha phases, establishing how the Veteran Card can be delivered in the most simple and effective way. The MOD has now taken on its development and will deliver the service. It is a significant technical project and has required highly skilled support from Defence Digital and Government Digital Service (GDS) experts.

The new verification service to support applications will include:

• online applications via GOV.UK
• identity checks using GOV.UK’s new One Login service
• automated service checking to confirm veteran status for most applications using MOD service records databases
• increasing MOD’s secure card printing capacity to deal with the expected applications using a new high-capacity card printing machine

The HM Armed Forces Veteran Card will allow veterans to quickly and easily prove their veteran status where required, thereby granting them simpler access to key support from government, charities, local authorities, and other organisations.

Roll-out will be in phases according to service years to manage the volume of requests and prevent any potential delays resulting from demand exceeding capacity.

With around 1.8 million veterans in the UK, we are focused on building the technology and processes to deal with large volumes of card applications accurately and securely.

Testing started this summer, and we expect cards to become available to veterans later this year. A paper-based application process will also be made available for veterans who are unable to use the online service.

Since December 2018, all Service leavers automatically receive a Veteran Card from the MOD as part of their discharge process and so do not need to apply. The new verification service will address how to replace a lost Veteran Card.

This page will be updated with details of the application process later in the year.