Tag: Ministry of Defence

• Australia Prime Minister and UK Defence Secretary visit Barrow-in-Furness shipyard
• Follows AUKUS submarine joint announcement by UK, Australia and US leaders
• Programme will deliver on the Prime Minister’s priorities by supporting thousands of UK jobs over the coming decades

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace have today visited the shipyard where the next generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines will be built for the Royal Navy.

Australia and the UK will both build the new submarines, known as ‘SSN-AUKUS’, to the world-leading British-led design, with construction of the UK’s submarines taking place in Barrow-in-Furness.

Australia will work over the next decade to develop its submarine industrial base and will build its submarines in South Australia.

This massive multilateral undertaking will create thousands of jobs in the UK in the decades ahead – delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy – and building on more than 60 years of British expertise designing, building and operating nuclear-powered submarines.

The three AUKUS nations are committed to further collaboration that will strengthen joint capabilities, enhance technology sharing, and integrate our industrial bases while bolstering each country’s security regime.

As part of today’s visit, the Australian Prime Minister and UK Defence Secretary had the opportunity to engage with staff and apprentices working on the construction of both the Astute-class and Dreadnought-class submarines.

The first UK SSN-AUKUS submarines built by BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce and will be delivered in the late 2030s to replace the current Astute-Class vessels, with the first Australian submarines following in the early 2040s.

Stability in the Indo-Pacific region is an enduring priority for the AUKUS partnership and the interoperable submarine design will ensure we stand side-by-side with our Australian and US allies to face threats and deter aggression.

At its core, the AUKUS security partnership between the United Kingdom, Australia and United States will promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, seeking to ensure it is secure and stable for the coming decades.

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said:

My visit to Barrow-In-Furness underlines my personal commitment to delivering this trilateral enterprise and the importance of AUKUS.

I look forward to having Australians training alongside the highly skilled submarine builders here in Barrow-In-Furness.

I thank Secretary Wallace for hosting me on this important visit.

To deliver the new submarines by the earliest possible date, Royal Australian Navy personnel will be embedded in the Royal Navy and US Navy, and – subject to necessary arrangements – at British and American submarine industrial bases, by the end of this year. This process will accelerate the training of Australian personnel required for them to operate a submarine fleet. In support of this objective, a number of Royal Australian Navy personnel have commenced nuclear training in the UK.

The SSN-AUKUS submarines will be the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in one vessel.

This decades-long programme will create thousands of jobs both in UK shipyards and across the supply chain, with billions of pounds already invested in submarine building at multiple UK sites.

UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace said:

The SSN-AUKUS submarines will protect the Euro-Atlantic region for decades to come – and with their interoperable submarine design, will ensure mutual compatibility with our Australian and US allies – alongside supporting jobs across the UK and demonstrating the experience and skill which embodies British industry.

On the visit, the parties also toured BAE Systems’ training academy that is helping develop the world-class engineering skills required to design, build and deliver complex submarine programmes.

As announced at the Budget in March, an additional £5 billion will be provided to the Government over the next two years, some of which will be spent on modernising the UK’s nuclear enterprise and funding the next phase of the AUKUS submarine programme. This will be followed by sustained funding across the next decade to support the SSN-AUKUS programme.

The UK military’s evacuation Joint Task Force has handed over the coordination of evacuation operations at Wadi Seidna airfield to Sudanese authorities, after more than 20 evacuation flights.

The airfield, located to the north of Khartoum, had been the UK’s primary location for evacuating UK nationals and their dependents, with further flights continuing on Monday from Port Sudan.

While the final UK flight from Wadi Seidna departed on Saturday, members of the three services of the UK Armed Forces remained on site into Sunday to ensure the airfield was left in good order.

Members of the Royal Engineers carried out urgent repairs to the runway between flights, due to deterioration of the runway surface as a result of the volume of international flights, handing it back to Sudan’s senior representative in a better condition than when the UK took over the coordination of evacuations at the airfield.

Before departing the facility for the final time, the UK’s Joint Task Force Commander held a call with his Sudanese counterpart to thank him for their close working relationship, which allowed his team to safely conduct the operation to evacuate more than 2,000 people.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Yet again our Armed Forces are leading the way. I am extremely grateful to all our personnel, as well as the contributions of our international partners, including the US, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, who have helped ensure the safe evacuation of more than 2,000 civilians, including those from more than 20 other nations.

The dedicated work of all those deployed on this operation at short notice has seen the biggest and longest evacuation effort from Sudan of any Western nation. First in, last out. Defence gets things done.

Significant background work was required to ensure that people fleeing the current conflict could be managed with dignity, compassion and as much comfort as was possible in such an austere and challenging environment.

Speaking after his return to the UK’s Forward Mounting Base in Cyprus, the UK ground commander at Wadi Seidna, Lt Col Oliver Denning RM, said:

I am extremely proud of each and every member of the UK Rapid Extraction Task Force, who were operating in a high-pressure environment and in austere conditions, amid temperatures of more than 45 Celsius.

Personnel from all Services – in support of FCDO and Home Office colleagues – demonstrated an extraordinary level of compassion and care to enable the extraction of personnel aged between 5 days and 92 years, and of more than 20 different nationalities”.

As well as ensuring the evacuees were protected and had access to food, water and shelter, UK civilian and military personnel at the evacuation facility also distributed children’s toys, comforts and sanitary products.

The airfield underwent the first operational runway repair conducted by British forces since the Falklands conflict in 1982, and the mobile medical facility provided care to 130 people, including life-saving surgical interventions.

Major Mark Borley, Commanding Officer of 51 Parachute Squadron RE, said:

The works to the runway were conducted at night and in challenging conditions, but the team’s work provided a real boost to military aircrew confidence when landing, allowing our aircraft to operate safely and get vulnerable people to safety.

The work was hot and demanding. But fulfilling a role which for which we train hard alongside a significant number of other stakeholders was incredibly rewarding, particularly on operations and in support of vulnerable people. I am extremely proud of the team; their determination and professionalism was superb and their success has made a real difference.

HMS Lancaster remains docked in Port Sudan, where her crew continue to provide support to evacuees and officials.

MOD Gibraltar is part of a network of overseas bases, managed by Strategic Command, which provides global reach to UK Defence, supporting the security of the UK, its allies and partner nations.

Colonel Matthew Moore, Commanding Officer of the RG, said:

We are deeply honoured to take part in this historic event. Soldiers from our forebear Regiment, the Gibraltar Defence Force, took part in the Coronation in 1953, and it therefore allows serving members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment to carry on this time-honoured tradition. We will be representing not only the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and British Forces Gibraltar, but all of the people of Gibraltar. I am confident that our officers and soldiers will perform this duty with great pride and to the highest standards, both at the Coronation in London and the events here in Gibraltar.

Second Lieutenant Bailey said:

It’s a very proud moment, not only for myself but for the Regiment going from public duties last year, to the Coronation this year. This is a continuation of our hard work last year.

Private Griffin said:

It has been a massive privilege as this will be the first Coronation of my generation. It is a privilege to be selected by my Company to represent the Regiment in the UK.

Private Lockwood said:

Being part of HM The King’s Coronation, I’m very honoured and very excited to be part of it. For the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, it’s quite an honour to be with the other regiments in the UK, being part of something together.

The territory of Gibraltar itself will mark the Coronation of HM The King with a Royal Gun salute of 21 rounds, while street parties will take place to celebrate a special day in our history.

• Defence Minister Baroness Goldie hosts North Atlantic Council and Military Committee in Faslane.
• UK commitment to NATO security remains strong.
• Scotland remains at the heart of UK strategic defence capability.

The UK underlined its commitment to NATO Nuclear Deterrence as Defence Minister Baroness Goldie hosted members of the North Atlantic Council and NATO Military Committee at His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, today.

Visiting the home of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, Baroness Goldie reiterated the commitment to the nuclear enterprise, secured through the most recent funding uplift of £3 billion, announced in the Spring Budget.

With the nuclear enterprise sustaining tens of thousands of jobs right across the country, including around 7,000 at HMNB Clyde, continued investment in the future of the UK’s nuclear industry also directly contributes to developing nuclear skills and growing the economy – one of the Prime Minister’s key priorities.

Beyond the UK’s nuclear deterrent, Scotland is also home to some of the UK’s most crucial defence capabilities, including our Quick Reaction Alert based at RAF Lossiemouth, and a thriving defence industry with both Type 26 and Type 31 frigates currently in build in Scottish shipyards.

Since 1962, the UK has declared its nuclear deterrent to the defence of NATO, meaning that all NATO Allies benefit from the protection of the UK’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) under collective defence.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

We have declared our nuclear deterrent to the defence of NATO for over 60 years, and our commitment to the security of the NATO Alliance is absolute.

The UK’s round the clock nuclear deterrent is more crucial than ever, as the ultimate guarantee of our collective security.

NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept reaffirmed that the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent contributes significantly to the overall security of NATO. Operating every minute of every day, the nuclear deterrent protects the UK and our Allies from the most extreme threats.

Defence Minister, Baroness Goldie, said:

Our continued investment in the nuclear deterrent is vital to our security and that of our NATO Allies, keeping people safe from the most extreme threats every minute of every day.

The home of some of the UK’s most critical defence assets, Scotland continues to be one of the cornerstones of the UK’s defence, keeping us all safe, driving prosperity and bolstering the Scottish economy.

Currently provided by the UK’s Vanguard Class submarines, while the new Dreadnought Class are in build, the deterrent will continue to operate for as long as the international situation requires it.

Confirming the UK’s commitment to sustaining the Continuous at Sea Deterrent, two new contracts were recently awarded to BAE Systems for the design and materials as part of the third Dreadnought delivery phase.

With £2 billion announced for the programme last year, these contracts, worth £1.7 billion collectively, mark the UK’s continued momentum and commitment to the future of our nuclear deterrent.

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Polaris Sales Agreement – a bilateral international agreement between the UK and US – which established the basic policy and terms underlying the sale of Polaris missiles (later updated for Trident) to the United Kingdom.

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, said:

For 54 years the Royal Navy has operated submarines carrying the United Kingdom’s independent nuclear deterrent on behalf of the nation and, by extension, our NATO allies.

CASD is supported by many elements of UK defence, but I am delighted that today our NATO partners are in HMNB Clyde meeting some of the fantastic women and men, both civilian and serving, who play a vital role in the enterprise.

The UK will also support its NATO Allies with its new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) vessel, currently undergoing a short refit period in Cammell Laird before joining the UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) fleet later this year.

The vessel will be formally known as RFA Proteus, the first of two MROS vessels dedicated to subsea surveillance and the protection of our critical infrastructure.

• British and German armies to work together on next steps for advanced armour-piercing tank ammunition development
• Enhancing NATO interoperability through standardised Main Battle Tank ammunition
• Improving lethality on UK’s future Challenger 3 Main Battle Tanks and German Leopard 2 tanks

Germany and the United Kingdom will work together on the next phase of development for advanced armour-piercing tank ammunition, it has been announced today.

UK National Armaments Director, Andy Start, met his German counterpart, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, where they signed a Statement of Intent to work together on the Enhanced Kinetic Energy (EKE) round – an advanced armour-piercing ammunition providing a step change in the Army’s ability to defeat evolving enemy threats.

Demonstrating that the new munition passes all legal and regulatory standards, this next phase of “qualification” marks a significant milestone in the ammunition’s programme. Ongoing discussions will seek a joint programme to be stood up this year, with the aim for the EKE ammunition to be used on the Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank and German Leopard 2 tank.

As the programme develops, the sharing of work between the countries will be key to ensuring a sustainable industrial capacity for both nations’ industries, sustaining jobs across the UK and supporting the UK Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

We’re very pleased to work with Germany on this programme, helping equip our respective Armed Forces with a crucial battle-winning capability.

The standardised ammunition will not only benefit battlefield collaboration with many of our NATO allies, but has important export potential for UK and German defence industry partners.

The EKE rounds would be fired from the L55A1 turret on Challenger 3 and Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks, supporting interoperability with NATO allies. The agreement follows both countries announcing the gifting of a squadron of their respective Main Battle Tanks to support Ukraine in its fight to counter Russia’s illegal invasion.

DEU State Secretary for FMOD Benedict Zimmer said:

The programme for 120mm EKE tank ammunition once again proves that the United Kingdom and Germany remain to co-operate as very close partners and friends.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Germany and the UK will also remain open for additional nations to join the cooperation or be export recipients, as well as continuing discussions on potential collaboration for other types of 120mm tank ammunition.

UK National Armament Director & Chief Executive of Defence Equipment & Support, Andy Start, said:

The UK will continue to drive stronger collaboration between partner nations to address current and future procurement needs. This approach maximises our collective strength to drive standardisation across NATO, and provides the opportunity for nations to improve availability and realise efficiencies.

The UK and Germany are close Allies, working together on several key defence initiatives including joint air policing missions in Estonia, as well as through land forces with the Joint Amphibious Battalion.

German National Armament Director, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, said:

With the Statement of Intent being signed, the United Kingdom and Germany will consider the request to allow for additional partners to join the programme as soon as possible.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin held a series of high-level meetings during a visit to India this week, strengthening the strategic ties between both countries.

Admiral Radakin began his three-day visit on Monday 17 April, paying homage to the fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial, ahead of his first meeting with his Indian counterpart, General Anil Chauhan.

The two Chiefs reviewed progress on various pillars of the UK-India defence partnership and exchanged views to further expand ties in all the domains.

The UK and India are natural partners in defence and share a strong and enduring relationship, including collaboration in research, development and training.

Following the signing of an updated Memorandum of Understanding in 2019, discussions around industrial collaboration in the aerospace sector have been progressing, with the UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement visiting in February and the First Sea Lord also visiting in March.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

India is a valued defence partner for the UK and our relationship continues to flourish across our research and industrial sectors.

Both our nations are committed to the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and we continue to train and operate alongside our Indian partners to promote security in the region.

Admiral Radakin subsequently held discussions with other high-ranking Indian defence staff, including the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Hari Kumar, Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, and Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane.

The meetings were an opportunity to boost military-to-military engagement and explore opportunities around the co-creation of future technologies.

The visit also saw Admiral Radakin hosted by various defence establishments of the Indian Armed Forces, including the base of the Indian Army’s 50th Parachute Brigade, as well as the National Defence College and National Maritime Foundation.

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

My visit to India reflects the United Kingdom’s belief that our security is indivisible from that of the wider world. As a global trading nation it matters to the UK that the Indo-Pacific is open and free, which is why the British Armed Forces is establishing the broadest and most integrated presence in the region of any European nation.

India and the UK are natural partners in a world that is becoming more contested and volatile. We share many of the same democratic instincts and values and are both committed to the rule of law. We are respected military powers, both undergoing significant investment and modernisation, and exercising together across land, sea and air. But we can do more. I value the opportunity to meet with General Anil Chauhan to discuss how we can develop our partnership in a way that benefits our mutual security and prosperity.

The Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force are all carrying out exercises with their Indian equivalents this year, developing interoperability and joint tactics.

In recent weeks, HMS Lancaster visited Kochi to train alongside the Indian Navy as part of Exercise Konkan, while five Mirage 2000 fighters were flown by Indian air force pilots in the Royal Air Force’s largest aerial exercise in the UK – Exercise Cobra Warrior.

Later this month, soldiers from the Indian Army will deploy to the UK to take part in Exercise Ajeya Warrior, training alongside the British Army.

The visit by CDS also coincides with the visit of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston. The visit of two of the most senior officers in the UK’s armed forces exemplifies the importance with which the UK holds its defence and security partnership with India.