Tag: Ministry of Defence

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 September 2025.

Landmark Scotland partnership to create jobs and harness military innovations.

• Pioneering scheme to unleash potential from Scotland-based businesses and research institutions.
• Scotland to receive share of £250 million funding to forge long-term partnerships that will boost the local economy and benefit the UK Armed Forces.
• Builds on Scotland being key to innovation in the space and maritime sectors, driving job creation and cutting-edge research and development.

Scotland’s economy will be boosted by a pioneering defence programme – backed as part of a £250 million UK-wide investment – to improve collaboration, foster innovation and create jobs.

Defence Growth Deals are being created as part of a bold initiative to support the growth potential of the defence industry, underpinned by the historic increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and the ambition to hit 3% in the next Parliament.

Utilising a share of a £250 million of money for UK Defence Growth Deals, Scotland will forge a long-term partnership between the UK and Devolved Governments, uniting business and research institutions in the nation to harness local expertise and resources in support of the UK Armed Forces.

Defence Secretary John Healey will today [Monday 8 September] announce the new venture as part of the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), which will make Defence an engine for growth.

Central to the DIS, the Defence Growth Deals will unlock growth, innovation, and job creation within key concentrations of defence and dual-use industry across the country, while bolstering the resilience of the UK’s defence industrial base.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

The Defence Industrial Strategy will make defence an engine for growth in Scotland, backing jobs, industry and innovators.

Defence Growth Deals offer a new partnership with UK defence to build on industrial and innovation strengths that regions already hold. Together we aim to drive an increase in defence skills and jobs across Scotland.

We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a defence firm and will put Britain at the leading edge of innovation.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:

This is a plan for good jobs paying decent wages in Scotland and beyond.

Through Defence Growth Deals we will unleash the power of local economies while securing our country – building an economy that works for working people, in every part of this country, just as our Plan for Change promised.

Latest statistics show that more than 11,000 people in Scotland are already employed due to MOD industry spending, and this work will ensure every ounce of the sector’s potential is realised, driving economic growth and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said:

The UK Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy will mean a real boost for Scotland’s economy and create highly skilled jobs for years to come – this is the defence dividend. Just last week we saw a £10 billion shipbuilding contract come to Clydeside – that is a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a government committed to ensuring Scotland benefits from the global rise in defence spending. Scotland’s defence sector is second to none, and our Defence Industrial Strategy will help ensure it has a thriving future, as part of our Plan for Change.

Scotland brings a dynamic mix of growth industries to the UK’s defence capabilities, from a rapidly advancing space sector to next-generation maritime innovation centred around the Clyde and Rosyth. The nation’s critical technology superclusters are anchored by world-class academic institutions like the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde, creating a fertile environment for defence research and development.

Scotland’s shipbuilding heritage combined with its emerging space technologies makes it uniquely positioned to benefit from this Defence Growth Deal, driving innovation and job creation across traditional maritime sectors and cutting-edge aerospace industries that will strengthen Britain’s defence industrial base.

The nation will have its Defence Growth Deal unveiled in the coming months, working with the Devolved Government and other key stakeholders, the Ministry of Defence is launching a bespoke growth deal which will harness the distinct opportunities and strengths in the nation.

Detailed policy proposals will be developed collaboratively; areas of focus are expected to include:

• Skills – addressing regional workforce needs and future capability requirements;
• Innovation – supporting research, development, and adoption of new technologies;
• Procurement – aligning local supply chains with Defence priorities;
• Investment – targeting funding to unlock economic and strategic value;
• Partnership – fostering impactful relationships that deliver for the people of Scotland.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 September 2025.

Working families across the country will be provided opportunities through the Defence Industrial Strategy, from highly skilled engineering positions to apprenticeships for young people starting their careers, ensuring that the defence dividend is felt in communities from Cornwall to the Highlands.

• Defence Industrial Strategy launched by Defence Secretary on visit to Veteran-founded, high-tech UK firm.
• Additional £250 million to unleash the potential of local authorities, businesses and research institutions to support UK defence while boosting economic benefits.
• UK to be the best place in the world to start and grow a defence firm, better equipping the Armed Forces and driving economic growth under the Plan for Change.

Working families across the country will be provided opportunities through the Defence Industrial Strategy, from highly skilled engineering positions to apprenticeships for young people starting their careers, ensuring that the defence dividend is felt in communities from Cornwall to the Highlands.

Defence Secretary John Healey will launch the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) on a visit to defence technology firm Rowden, in Bristol, where he will open the firm’s new facility. Veteran-founded firm Rowden produce critical sensing and decision-making capabilities for the Armed Forces and significant growth in recent years means they now boast an engineering and production footprint of more than 20,000 sq ft in Bristol.

Central to the DIS, local economies will be boosted through the launch of a £250 million fund for Defence Growth Deals – which will improve collaboration, foster innovation and create jobs in areas with untapped potential.

Five initial Defence Growth Deals will be created across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Building on the success of the Team Barrow approach at the home of nuclear submarine building in Barrow-in-Furness, Defence Growth Deals will identify areas with high growth potential, and bring together industry, local and national government and academia to make sure that potential is realised.

Each Defence Growth Deal will combine defence and wider government investment to harness local sub-sector strengths, drive innovation, and deliver tailored support where needed, such as in skills, housing, and planning, to boost local economies, attract private investment, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Initial ADS analysis indicates there could be an additional demand of up to 50,000 defence jobs by 2034/35 with increases in defence spending. Defence Growth Deals will play an important role in capitalising on that skilled employment potential for communities across the UK.

The five deals will be backed by a total of £250 million of defence spending over the next five years, underpinned by this Government’s historic increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and the ambition to hit 3% in the next Parliament.

They will forge long-term partnerships between national, devolved and local government, uniting businesses and research institutions to harness local expertise and resources in defence and the dual-use sectors. They will support the UK Armed Forces and deliver benefits for working people through the government’s Plan for Change.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

The Defence Industrial Strategy will make defence an engine for growth across the UK, backing British jobs, British industry and British innovators.

Defence Growth Deals offer a new partnership with UK Defence to build on industrial and innovation strengths that regions already hold. Together we aim to drive an increase in defence skills, SMEs and jobs across all four nations.

We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a defence firm and will put Britain at the leading edge of innovation.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:

This is a plan for good jobs paying decent wages in Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield, Plymouth and beyond.

Through Defence Growth Deals we will unleash the power of local economies while securing our country – building an economy that works for working people, in every part of this country, just as our Plan for Change promised.

Innovation and industrial power are central to deterrence and decisive factors in war. The conflict in Ukraine provides a stark reminder of the imperative of the necessity for fast replenishment and resupply by industry, and a rapid, continual cycle of innovation between industry and the front line.

The first Defence Growth Deals will be in:

• Plymouth – Home to the largest naval base in Western Europe, which will see £4 billion of investment over a 10-year period, the city has recently been designated as the national centre for marine autonomy to drive further innovation in the crucial maritime autonomous systems sector.
• South Yorkshire – A key region for the research, development and engineering of high-grade components and materials critical to the next generation of maritime, land and air capabilities. This includes specialist steel for gun barrels and nuclear submarines.
• Wales – The country is becoming a leader in UAV development and testing, from companies such as Tekever in Pembrokeshire, to testing sites including the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, and academic institutions including the Welsh Centre for Defence Autonomy.
• Scotland – Home to a dynamic mix of growth industries, from a rapidly advancing space sector, to next generation maritime innovation centred around the Clyde and Rosyth, and critical technology superclusters anchored by world-class academic institutions.
• Northern Ireland – Home to a diverse range of defence and dual use SMEs, the country is recognised as a leading cyber security hub, boosted by Queen’s University Belfast’s Centre for Secure Information Technologies and Momentum One Zero. It is also home to Thales and Harland & Wolff, companies that are critical to our support to Ukraine and our maritime strength.
• The DIS is a long-term investment in both security and high-growth economy – by strengthening the industrial base and preparing for future challenges, it will unlock defence’s potential as an engine for growth under the Government’s Plan for Change.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 6 September 2025.

UK jobs and skills will be the driving force behind making the country a defence industrial leader under a transformative new strategy to be launched next week.

• £182 million boost for defence talent pipeline, delivering on economic growth through the Plan for Change.
• In-demand defence technical skills to be boosted through five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, offering new opportunities into defence jobs.
• Landmark Defence Industrial Strategy set to back British business and adopt innovation lessons from Ukraine.

UK jobs and skills will be the driving force behind making the country a defence industrial leader under a transformative new strategy to be launched next week [Monday 8 September], including the creation of five defence-focused Technical Excellence Colleges to ensure industry has the workforce needed for the future.

It follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to BAE Scotstoun where he met shipyard workers to celebrate the UK securing a £10 billion deal with Norway for Type 26 frigates, which will support 4,000 British jobs well into the next decade. The deal highlights the government’s work to back British companies on the global stage and secure working people’s futures.

The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) will further back British businesses, putting the UK at the leading edge of defence innovation in NATO and ensuring this government’s record uplift in defence spending delivers a lasting dividend for people in every nation and region.

It will deliver a more integrated, innovative, and resilient defence sector and better equipped Armed Forces – supported by the historic increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and the ambition to hit 3% in the next Parliament.

New funding of £182 million will support a comprehensive package aimed at harnessing the skills needed for the future, from submarine engineers to specialist welders, and the cyber warfare specialists defence will need in the years to come. Defence is the engine room of national renewal, and this investment is focused on the future of the people who will be driving that work.

The DIS will support more opportunities for young people, help our Veterans into employment and equip the UK workforce with the expertise needed to meet the new era of threat set out in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), and the demands of a rapidly evolving defence sector to innovate at a wartime pace.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

It’s British workers who gave UK companies the leading edge in defence innovation and industry.

Our Defence Industrial Strategy puts skills at the heart of the Government’s plans to make the country safer and boost jobs across the UK.

This is the biggest defence skills plan in decades, a plan to boost Britain’s security and create well paid, high-skilled jobs for young people for generations to come.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

The defence sector doesn’t just keep the British people safe; it drives growth and unlocks opportunities for young people to learn pioneering skills and pursue a great career.

This investment and our new Defence Technical Excellence Colleges will break down barriers to opportunity for people in every corner of our country, drive economic growth as part of our Plan for Change and secure the UK’s place in the world, putting us at the cutting edge of innovation and new technology.

The Government’s comprehensive defence skills package centres on establishing five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, training people in the skills needed to secure new defence jobs in this growing industry, with applications to go live by the end of this calendar year, and successful TECs to be launched in 2026.

The package will fund thousands of short courses so that defence employers can upskill new hires and existing staff more quickly. Investing £80 million in our world leading universities will mean they can invest in cutting edge facilities and expand places for more people to study subjects like engineering and computer science that are critical to defence innovation.

This flagship initiative is complemented by ambitious regional STEM programmes designed to engage thousands of school-age students across four years, actively encouraging them to pursue defence careers.

Retention and career mobility are addressed through a new apprenticeship and graduate clearing system launching in 2026, plus scoping an innovative Defence Skills Passport which could facilitate smoother transitions for mid-career professionals between the Armed Forces, defence industry, and related sectors.

The package is a strong demonstration of making defence an engine for growth, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

Background

The skills package includes:

• Establishing five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges with applications to go live by the end of this calendar year, and with successful TECs to be launched in 2026.
• Regional STEM initiatives to engage thousands of school-age students over the next four years to pursue careers in defence.
• Targeted short courses for people working in specific defence industries looking to progress their careers by boosting their skills.
• Investing in the higher education sector to boost places on defence-related courses.
• Establishing a Defence Universities Alliance, which will support and encourage defence sector careers and ethical defence research.
• Explore working with partners, such as UCAS, to provide a wealth of online information, advice, and guidance for prospective students interested in a career in the defence sector.
• A new apprenticeship and graduate clearing-style system to help support career opportunities across the defence supply-chain.
• Helping retain our people by scoping a Defence Skills Passport that could enable smoother transfer of mid-career professionals between the Armed Forces, the defence industry and those looking to re-enter from neighbouring industries.
• Launching a new Destination Defence campaign, working with industry to promote the breadth of exciting roles available across the sector and the opportunities for people to keep our nation safe.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 4 September 2025.

The UK defence sector has driven unprecedented growth across the country following at least £1.4 billion foreign investment being announced since July 2024.

• Unprecedented UK defence sector growth with more than £1.4 billion in foreign direct investment committed in just 12 months.
• More than 1,700 new jobs being created across the UK, delivering on this Government’s Plan for Change.
• Ministers saw British innovation and investment in action with visits to Greenford and Farringdon.

More than 1,700 new jobs are being created as the UK’s defence sector drives unprecedented growth across the country, following at least £1.4 billion foreign direct investment being announced since July 2024.

This success reflects the Government’s commitment to making defence an engine for economic growth across the UK. The increase in annual foreign direct investment from international companies demonstrates the confidence that companies feel to invest in the UK, alongside the Government’s historic uplift in defence spending, providing a significant boost to the UK economy and showing more countries are choosing to invest in facilities in Britain.

The increased investment is supporting the UK’s defence industrial base, with thousands of new jobs created and supported across the country, including manufacturing, engineering, and business service roles. Recent investments include an expanded drone manufacturing facility in Hampshire, shipbuilding secured in Belfast, and the investment in artillery systems manufacture in Telford.

The soon to be published Defence Industrial Strategy will set out how the UK will further strengthen its defence industrial base and supply chains, enhance sovereign capabilities, and position Britain as a global leader in defence technology whilst creating high-skilled jobs and driving economic growth across the country.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP, said:

This record new investment is a confirmed vote of confidence in Britain.

In a new era for defence, I am backing British industry, British innovators and British jobs.

A strong defence industrial base helps keep Britain safe and makes defence an engine for growth.

Ministers showcased this momentum yesterday with visits highlighting new British defence innovation sites.

The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, opened Ultra Maritime’s new £20 million manufacturing facility in Greenford, London, which will employ 100 staff including 35 new manufacturing and testing roles focused on producing cutting-edge sonobuoys for anti-submarine warfare systems.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, said:

Ultra Maritime’s innovative work supports the Royal Navy to help keep the UK safe, whilst backing dozens of skilled manufacturing jobs.

By deepening their investment in state-of-the-art facilities, it is another demonstration of the confidence defence firms have in growing their companies in the UK.

The Defence Industrial Strategy will ensure we continue to attract world-class companies to the UK, creating high-skilled jobs and cementing Britain’s position as a global defence technology leader.

The Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, opened Arondite’s new Farringdon office, celebrating a British defence-tech company building AI software to connect autonomous systems. Veteran-founded Arondite announced a £100 million investment in advanced R&D, expanding its UK footprint and creating 100 new high-skilled jobs.

Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, said:

Arondite’s expansion represents exactly the kind of British innovation and entrepreneurship that exemplifies Defence as an engine for growth – combining cutting-edge AI technology with job creation and sovereign capability development.

As outlined in the SDR, we are creating a new partnership with business and making it easier for SMEs to do business with Defence. Through our Defence Industrial Strategy, we’re backing brilliant British companies like veteran-founded Arondite to scale up, create careers, and keep our nation secure in an increasingly complex world.

These developments build on the Government’s delivery of the Strategic Defence Review, which provided the strategic framework for strengthening Britain’s defence capabilities to meet the new era of threat, whilst harnessing the Prime Minister’s historic defence investment to create jobs and opportunity in communities nationwide.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 4 September 2025.

The Defence Secretary, John Healey, and his Norwegian counterpart, Tore O. Sandvik, today signed an historic agreement to enhance the strategic partnership between the UK and Norway

• Prime Minister visited BAE Scotstoun to meet the team who helped to land the biggest ever warship export deal worth £10bn – supporting over 4,000 UK jobs and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
• Comes as the Defence Secretary and his Norwegian counterpart signed the deal today in Stavanger, Norway.
• Deal cements deep strategic partnership and will boost national defence through strengthened security in North Sea, Baltic Sea, and High North.

UK and European security was bolstered today following the signing of a new deal for Norway to purchase at least five Type 26 frigates from British shipbuilders, in a move that will create a combined fleet to better counter Russia on NATO’s northern flank.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited BAE Scotstoun to say thank you to the those who helped get this huge contract to build the cutting-edge vessels, which will support 4,000 jobs across the UK well into the next decade — including 2,000 in Scotland.

The Defence Secretary, John Healey, and his Norwegian counterpart, Tore O. Sandvik, today signed the historic agreement to enhance the strategic partnership between the UK and Norway, strengthening NATO in the region and providing more opportunities for joint training and personnel exchanges between the two nations.

At today’s signing in Norway, the Defence Secretary and the Norwegian Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik discussed further joint operations through this deepened partnership.

The Defence Secretary also met Norwegian Navy recruits undergoing basic training who will in future likely serve on the Type 26 frigates built under this agreement.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

This deal will support thousands of UK jobs for many years to come and boosts our strategic partnership with Norway.

Our close bonds are built on a shared geography and history, and this deal will see our navies work as one, creating a combined fleet to defend NATO’s northern flank and strengthen our deterrence against Russian aggression.

The programme is also expected to support 432 business, including 222 small and medium enterprises, across the UK.

The £10 billion deal delivers on the Government’s Plan for Change – creating jobs, driving growth and protecting national security for working people. It is a striking vote of confidence in the UK’s world-class shipbuilding industry.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 September 2025.

Outgoing Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin handed over today (2nd September) to his successor, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton.

Sir Richard’s appointment was announced in June 2025, succeeding Admiral Radakin, who completed his four-year term, following his appointment in 2021.

Admiral Radakin’s tenure included him playing a pivotal role in responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, rallying NATO support, playing a key role in this year’s Strategic Defence Review and leading the military through the ceremonial response to the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

As CDS, ACM Knighton serves as the professional head of the UK’s Armed Forces, military strategic commander, and principal military adviser to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence.

Under defence Reform, the Chief of the Defence Staff, for the first time since this role was created, now commands the service chiefs and is the head of the newly established Military Strategic Headquarters, responsible for force design and war planning across an integrated force.

Sir Richard steps up from his previous role as Chief of the Air Staff, bringing extensive experience in strategic planning and overseeing Royal Air Force operations worldwide to his new position as Defence Chief.

Sir Richard’s appointment comes in the same year that the Prime Minister announced an increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from April 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament.

In June, Defence Secretary John Healey MP welcomed the appointment, saying:

As Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Rich Knighton has led the RAF with distinction through a period of intense demand, with NATO operations, deployments to the Middle East and activity across the world. As Chief of the Defence Staff, he will play a critical role in delivering the transformation set out in the Strategic Defence Review. And together, we will put the men and women of our Armed Forces at the heart of our defence plans.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said:

It is an honour to begin my role as Chief of the Defence Staff today. I will work tirelessly to combat the threats the UK faces whilst fulfilling the integral role the Armed Forces play in protecting our personnel, our allies and operations worldwide.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 September 2025.

Soldiers and officers at Kendrew Barracks will benefit from new accommodation.

New accommodation for service personnel at Kendrew Barracks has been completed under a major investment programme that is improving living conditions across the Army estate.

The new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) blocks provide 126 en suite single bedspaces for junior ranks, senior ranks and officers, with utility rooms, drying rooms, kitchens and furnished communal space. The project was funded under the Army’s SLA Programme and was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), contracting to Volumec.

The design of the modular SLA includes sustainable features such as solar harvesting, air source heat pumps and a SMART energy management system, which learns how the building is used through a multitude of sensor data to ensure it runs as efficiently as possible.

Brigadier Pete Quaite CBE, the Army’s Head of Infrastructure Plans, said:

Modular construction is enabling us to build more quickly, ensuring that more Army sites benefit from investment in new and improved infrastructure. These modern, energy efficient buildings demonstrate the high quality of accommodation being rolled out across our estate, to improve living conditions for our people while contributing to the Army’s efforts to operate more sustainably.

Warren Webster, DIO MPP Army Programme Director, said:

The handover of new single living accommodation at Kendrew Barracks is another milestone in our work to provide quality, sustainable infrastructure for the Army. We continue to learn from data gathered from these new buildings to improve their environmental credentials and the lived experience, while delivering better value for money.

Lt Col Jim Turner, Deputy Commander of Kendrew Barracks, said:

The new accommodation at Kendrew Barracks has been delivered to an impressive standard and will provide a modern, comfortable home for our soldiers and officers. The wellbeing of our people is a vital component of military capability, and we look forward to seeing the blocks fully occupied in the coming weeks.

Simon Rawson, Volumec Ltd Chief Executive Officer, said:

We see this project as a real testament to what can be achieved through genuine collaboration, along with shared vision, commitment, and trust. This has, without doubt, been one of the most rewarding projects to have been involved with. We are all so proud of the end product and to have played our part in delivering 126 much-needed modern living spaces.

DIO and Volumec are building another two SLA blocks for the Army at Wattisham and Weeton Barracks, with construction due to complete later this year.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 31 August 2025.

Billions of pounds will be pumped into the UK economy following Norway’s decision to select British warships for their Armed Forces – securing thousands of jobs in Britain for years to come.

• Major export deal sustains 4,000 UK jobs including more than 2,000 in Scotland.
• £10 billion boost to UK economy is expected to support more than 400 British companies, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
• Norway’s biggest ever defence procurement deal will see a combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates – eight British and at least five Norwegian – operate jointly in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank.

Billions of pounds will be pumped into the UK economy following Norway’s decision to select British warships for their Armed Forces – securing thousands of jobs in Britain for years to come.

The UK, in its biggest ever warship export deal by value, will supply Norway with Type 26 frigates designed for anti-submarine warfare in the deal worth £10 billion announced today, a clear example of this Government is delivering on its Plan for Change.

The deal will support 4,000 jobs across the UK supply chain until well into the 2030s, including more than 2,000 at BAE Systems’ Glasgow shipyards. The programme is also expected to support 432 business, including 222 small and medium enterprises, across the UK including 103 in Scotland, 47 in the North West of England and 35 in the West Midlands.

Norway’s selection of the UK’s world leading Type 26 frigates builds on decades of close cooperation between close NATO allies and strengthens both nations’ strategic partnership and maritime security in the face of increasing Russian threats in northern Europe. Both Australia and Canada have also selected the design for Type 26 for their Navies.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This £10 billion deal is what our Plan for Change is about – creating jobs, driving growth and protecting national security for working people.

This Government has forged new partnerships across the world to deliver for people at home and the export of our world leading Type 26 frigates to Norway will do exactly that, supporting well-paid jobs up and down the United Kingdom, from apprentices to engineers.

This success is testament to the thousands of people across the country who are not just delivering this next generation capabilities for our Armed Forces but also national security for the UK, our Norwegian partners and NATO for years to come.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Støre said:

Norway and the United Kingdom are close allies, with common interests and strong bilateral ties. I am confident that the strategic partnership with the UK for purchasing, developing and operating frigates is the right decision.

This partnership enables Norway to reach the strategic objectives our Parliament set out in the current Long-Term Plan on Defence.

The decision comes ahead of a new UK-Norway defence agreement that will strengthen Euro-Atlantic security while bringing the two countries’ defence industries closer together to boost jobs, growth, and innovation.

Norway’s operation of identical Type 26 ships alongside the Royal Navy hails the deepening of a long term-strategic relationship that will see a combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates – eight British and at least five Norwegian – to detect, classify, track and defeat hostile submarines – significantly reinforcing NATO’s northern flank.

This ambitious partnership will also cover shared maintenance, extensive crew training, in-service support and personnel exchanges.

As outlined in this year’s Strategic Defence Review, Norway remains one of the United Kingdom’s most valued strategic allies, serving as the only nation participating in the UK Carrier Strike Group’s complete 2025 deployment whilst also collaborating with the UK and NATO partners in safeguarding critical undersea infrastructure in Northern Europe.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

For over 75 years, Britain and Norway have stood together on NATO’s northern and north-eastern frontiers, keeping the UK and Europe safe. This historic defence deal deepens our strategic partnership.

With Norway, we will train, operate, deter, and – if necessary – fight together. Our navies will work as one, leading the way in NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure.

This deal confirms Britain’s defence industry as world-leading. It will support thousands of high-skilled jobs for the next 15 years and beyond, driving forward this Government’s Plan for Change and making defence an engine for growth.

On behalf of Team UK industry partners, Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive of BAE Systems, said:

The Norwegian Government’s decision reflects its confidence in British industry’s ability to deliver a superior anti-submarine warfare platform, together with systems and equipment, that will support its future maritime security and reinforce its position within NATO.

We look forward to playing our part in further strengthening the strategic partnership between the UK and Norway, as we work together with Norwegian industry to deliver this important capability to the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The Type 26 features sophisticated weapons, advanced sensors, and cutting-edge communications, with a flexible design that enables future upgrades to counter emerging threats.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 29 August 2025.

The Defence Secretary met Japanese PM Ishiba and his counterpart, Minister Nakatani, while welcoming the Carrier Strike Group deployment to Tokyo.

New figures reveal millions of pounds of investment and thousands of British jobs created through the UK-Japan defence relationship as Defence Secretary John Healey visits Japan for the first time.

The Defence Secretary announced today (29 August) that the UK’s Future Combat Air System programme supports over 4,500 British jobs across the UK, including in the South West, North West and Scotland. At the core of the programme is the trilateral Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partnership between the UK, Japan and Italy to deliver a next-generation combat aircraft. Industry research and development spending has also increased by more than £100 million to over £700 million, demonstrating how international partnerships drive UK investment and skilled employment.

The significant progress made by GCAP was acknowledged in a joint statement issued following a meeting between the Defence Secretary and his Japanese counterpart, Minister Nakatani. The defence partnership between the UK and Japan directly supports the government’s Plan for Change, kickstarting economic growth at home through defence.

The Defence Secretary also welcomed HMS Prince of Wales and the wider Carrier Strike Group into Tokyo and addressed its crew, strengthening the UK’s partnership with Japan and demonstrating the government’s commitment to keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

The Royal Navy flagship is hosting the two-day Pacific Future Forum, an international summit bringing together defence and industry leaders to help shape responses to the defence challenges facing the UK and its allies.

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

The UK-Japan partnership is one of the strongest in the Indo-Pacific and continues to deliver real benefits for both countries through programmes like GCAP.

It was a privilege to welcome the sailors, soldiers and aviators on board HMS Prince of Wales to Japan and thank them for their tireless work on this deployment.

The Carrier Strike Group helps the UK to strengthen alliances and cement new partnerships, ensuring the UK is secure at home and strong abroad.

The visit by the Carrier Strike Group forms part of Operation Highmast, the UK’s largest naval deployment in a generation, starting over four months ago and involving nearly 4,000 personnel across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

HMS Prince of Wales exemplifies British naval engineering excellence, carrying up to 24 F-35B Lightning II fighter jets in the largest concentration of fifth-generation aircraft ever deployed by the Royal Navy.

Operation Highmast showcases the UK’s enduring commitment to security of the Indo-Pacific and beyond, engaging with 30 countries through exercises, operations, and visits across the Mediterranean, Middle East, South East Asia, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Australia.

The visit builds on unprecedented military cooperation between Britain and Japan, with the UK being the first European partner to exercise bilaterally on Japanese soil through Exercise Vigilant Isles. RAF and Royal Navy personnel continue to strengthen interoperability with Japanese forces, including the historic first landing of a UK F-35B fighter on a Japanese ship earlier this month.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 August 2025.

Extension supports UK’s objective of supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attack, while developing its Armed Forces to deter Putin in future.

Ukrainian soldiers will receive a further boost from the British military’s expert training, as the Government announces the extension of the UK’s world-leading training programme on Ukrainian Independence Day.

The UK is stepping up and evolving its training support to ensure Ukraine’s Armed Forces are in the strongest possible position as they resist ongoing Russian attacks, and to deter any further Russian aggression under a future peace deal by supporting the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces. Supporting Ukraine’s defence supports the UK’s own national security and helps counter the economic disruption caused by Putin’s illegal invasion.

Training support and military equipment from the UK has helped give Ukraine a crucial boost on the frontline, with Russia continuing to lose far more vehicles and equipment to damage or destruction than Ukraine.

The extension of Operation INTERFLEX to at least the end of 2026 was announced by the Defence Secretary amid Ukrainian celebrations today, marking 34 years since declaring independence from the Soviet Union.

More than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have been trained on British soil so far, with the UK leading 13 other nations providing support to the INTERFLEX programme as one of the biggest schemes of its kind in the world.

The UK is also adapting INTERFLEX training to best suit Ukraine’s evolving military requirements, with a gradual shift from prioritising shorter courses centred on basic combat skills training, to a greater focus on leadership and instructor training. Two additional courses are now being delivered alongside the basic infantry course. One teaches soldiers how to be in command at a platoon and section leader level and the other is an instructor training course.

Working closely with Ukraine means the UK Armed Forces can learn valuable insights and techniques from the battlefield, helping to improve skills and tactics. Support for Ukraine has also seen closer industrial collaboration, benefiting British businesses and supporting the government’s Plan for Change.

The news comes as events take place across the UK today to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day and highlight the historic relationship that Britain and Ukraine have built. Nearly 2,000 Ukrainian recruits, British military personnel, and other attendees are set to celebrate at one of the INTERFLEX training sites in England.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

The UK is united for Ukraine. We will continue to step up our support alongside allies, so that Ukraine can defend today and deter tomorrow. In the face of ongoing Russian attacks, we must put Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the strongest possible position. And as the push for peace continues, we must make the Ukrainians into the strongest possible deterrent to secure that future peace.

On this special day for the freedom and democracy of the Ukrainian people, we are ramping up and evolving our world-leading training support that has given more than 50,000 Ukrainians vital combat skills.

This matters to Ukraine and it matters to Britain. A secure Ukraine is a secure Europe. From learning lessons from the battlefield to strengthen our own Armed Forces, to deepening our military industrial collaboration supporting jobs across the nation, Britain and Ukraine are growing closer than ever before.

INTERFLEX training began as a 5-week course to provide basic combat training to recruits, but following continued feedback and dialogue with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, has since become a 7-week course and offers alternative courses specifically designed to boost leadership and command skills for personnel, with new courses introduced, tailored according to seniority of trainees.

Training a new generation of Ukrainian instructors is one of the most effective methods to strengthen Ukraine’s security both now and in the long-term, increasing skills and capacity to expand its own training programmes. It will help Ukraine continue to regenerate its military capabilities, which would act as the strongest deterrent against further attacks from Putin under any peace deal.

New survey results of Ukrainian recruits who have completed training under Operation INTERFLEX from January to August 2025 revealed that 83% of those on leadership courses said they felt more able to make their troops under their command survivable at the end of their leadership training. The data also revealed that 93% of leadership trainees felt more confident they can make troops under their command more lethal at the end of their training.

Recent open-source reporting indicates that support from the UK and other nations has helped Ukraine achieve remarkable results on the battlefield, with more than 4,000 Russian battle tanks having been reported destroyed since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, compared with around 1,250 in Ukraine’s case. Reporting suggests that Russia has lost more than double the number of armoured vehicles compared to Ukraine.

Artem, a Ukrainian soldier currently training on Operation INTERFLEX’s Platoon and Company Sergeants Course said:

I am very grateful to the UK for supporting the people of Ukraine in their struggle for independence and identity as a nation. I am grateful for the opportunity to take such courses, for the high level of professionalism of the instructors, their dedication to their work, and for their ability to organise both group training and find an individual approach for each of us.

Instructors ensure that classes are conducted in conditions as close to real-life as possible, whether it be in trenches, in a forested area, or in an urban area. I learned how important it is to be prepared for coordinated actions in conditions of increased danger, how to properly coordinate personnel during defence, and planning offensive actions. I learnt how to survive in conditions of minimal support and improve first aid skills.

Work on a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia has deepened in recent weeks under US leadership, with the Prime Minister flying out to Washington last week to meet with President Trump and President Zelenskyy alongside other European leaders. The Chief of the Defence Staff also held meetings on the Coalition of the Willing with other NATO chiefs.

The Coalition of the Willing – led by the UK and France – has developed plans for a multinational military force that could be deployed to Ukraine to provide support in the event of a peace deal. Several planning meetings in recent months have involved more than 200 military planners and input from around 30 countries.

The UK remains fully committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort, which is why £4.5bn is being spent on military support to Ukraine this year, the largest amount provided to date.

In March, the Prime Minister announced a historic £1.6 billion deal to provide more than five thousand air defence missiles for Ukraine – creating 200 new jobs and supporting a further 700. The UK will also invest a record £350m this year to increase the supply of drones to Ukraine from a target of 10,000 in 2024 to 100,000 in 2025.