A new trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) was announced yesterday. As part of this new alliance, the US and UK will assist with the construction of up to 8 nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). In this brief commentary, we outline some of the implications.More
The MoD has announced the award of Competitive Procurement Phase (CPP) contracts to bidders to enable them to develop their design and construction proposals for the £1.5Bn Fleet Solid Support ship project.More
Between the 26th of July and 1st of August, the UK-led Carrier Strike Group sailed north through the South China Sea. Details of what transpired during that week are limited but here we assess what is in the public domain.
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Here we summarise recent news and developments concerning the Royal Navy’s future frigate programmes. More
It has emerged that one of the two Type 45 destroyers accompanying the Carrier Strike Group, HMS Diamond has suffered a defect and remains alongside in a Mediterranean port, having not transited the Suez Canal with the rest of the ships.
In an encouraging statement to Parliament this week, it was revealed that the Type 26 frigates will be equipped with the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) from 2028. This confirms there has been positive progress with the FCASW project and the RN will be able to field a ship-based land-attack and much-improved anti-shipping capability sooner than expected.
MBDA announced today that the Type 45 destroyers will be enhanced with 24 Sea Ceptor missile cells. Here we consider the implications of this significant upgrade to the Royal Navy’s primary air defence platform.More
Antarctic patrol ship HMS Protector has sailed to within 1,050 kilometres of the North Pole during her first patrol of the Arctic. Only the RN’s nuclear submarines surfacing in the ice have got closer.
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The Russian Defence Ministry claimed today that their airforce had dropped bombs near to HMS Defender as she passed through the Black Sea. These claims were repeated by various UK media outlets until finally denied by the Ministry of Defence. Here we summarise what took place and the background to events.More