While meeting with his Norwegian counterpart on board HMS Queen Elizabeth in Oslo today, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has finally confirmed the RN will purchase the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) to fulfil the interim anti-ship missile requirement.
Subject to final ministerial approval, the Team Resolute consortium comprising BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK has been selected ahead of Team UK to build the three Fleet Solid Support Ships. This decision has been announced earlier than expected and will prove to be controversial.
HMS Westminster, a Wildcat helicopter and three RAF Typhoon jets launched a variety of weapons, sinking the former USS Boone during exercise Atlantic Thunder held on 7th September.
HMS Prince of Wales sailed from Portsmouth today for the east coast of the United States where she will conduct further F-35 flying trials and experimentation with uncrewed aircraft.
HMS Lancaster has sailed from Portsmouth and will not return home for three years, being forward-deployed in the Middle East and based in Bahrain.
HMS Portland has been involved in tracking the movements of two Russian attack submarines heading from the Arctic to the Baltic Sea.
The MoD confirmed this week that RFA Argus will remain in service beyond 2030. Argus was supposed to decommission in 2024 but with no replacement available, this decision will ensure the UK’s afloat medical and aviation training capability is retained.
HMS Audacious has conducted NATO maritime security patrols in the Mediterranean on her maiden operational deployment.