Who you should be following in the UK defence community

This list is intended to highlight accounts we believe are worth following in order to get a wider and more informed perspective on UK defence matters; it is in no way complete!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been asked and have also been asking others who the must-follow accounts of the UK defence community are, so our team have been recommending their own favourites as have the writers of other defence blogs and we’ve come up with a list of the most active defence related twitter accounts.

This list is in no way exhaustive and is in no particular order, if you have any suggestions please feel free to let us know!

Defence Blogs/Resources

Below are our favourite blogs actively posting about a wide range of matters relating to defence but is not a comprehensive listing.

The Thin Pinstriped Line is written by a former civil servant at the Ministry of Defence who also has experience has a Reservist Officer in the Royal Navy. Despite a break in posting over the last few years, ‘Sir Humphrey’ has sailed back into the ocean of defence commentary where he is very active and frequently fires informed broadsides at popular defence myths and other issues. He writes about topics from his own unique perspective that are often very well received. He can be found on Twitter here: @pinstripedline

UK Armed Forces Commentary is run by Gabriele Molinelli. The website describes itself as hosting news, rumours, analysis and assorted ramblings on the strategies, the missions, the procurement of kit and the future of the British Armed Forces and it certainly does just that, often being reliably cited by others. The author can be found on Twitter here: @Gabriel64869839 

Think Defence is, in its own words, a blog that promotes the idea of people having sensible conversation about UK defence issues, no more, no less. They are successful in this aim, often prompting in-depth and informative discussions while offering an interesting perspective. Think Defence owns multiple pallet sales and shipping companies, probably, maybe. Think Defence can be found on Twitter here: @ThinkDefence

Save The Royal Navy describe themselves as an online campaign to promote the Royal Navy and to highlight the excellent work it does on a daily basis across the globe, something they do very well. Contributors and supporters include ex-forces personnel and academics. The website is very active and frequently posts informed analysis that receives widespread attention. They can be found on Twitter here: @NavyLookout

Engaging Strategy is written by an ex-student of War Studies at King’s College London with a continued interest in defence matters, UK foreign policy and military strategy. Frequently posts interesting and thought provoking articles. Very active on Twitter engaging in discussion on UK defence matters. Can be found here on Twitter: @EngageStrategy1

Defence Journalists

This is a list comprising of journalists we believe are fair and balanced when reporting on UK defence matters in addition to providing their own informed analysis. This list isn’t comprehensive or complete either and will be added to over time.

Jonathan Beale is the BBC Defence correspondent and uses Twitter to discuss defence matters from his perspective where he engages in debates in an open and balanced manner as well as providing commentary. He can be found here: @bealejonathan

Alistair Bunkall is the Sky News defence correspondent and uses Twitter frequently often posting interesting articles, images and info. He can be found here: @AliBunkallSKY

Gareth Corfield is a journalist specialising in defence and technology at The Register. He uses Twitter to engage in discussion and often links to well thought out and balanced articles. He can be found here: @GazTheJourno

Lucy Fisher is the defence editor at The Times and often engages in debate around both topical and long-standing issues relating to UK defence. She can be found here: @LOS_Fisher

Ali Kefford is a naval newspaper journalist specialising in submarine warfare and frequently tweeting interesting defence items. She can be found here: @akefford

Darren Lake is the MD of Shephard Media. Darren has more than a decade of experience in aerospace and defence journalism and often posts interesting items from himself and his staff. He completed a BA in War Studies at King’s College London. He can be found here: @DefenceViper

Richard Thomas is the Senior Editor (Naval) at Shephard Media and presenter of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Former Deputy News Editor at Muscat Daily. He can be found here: @RWJThomas

Francis Tusa is a defence journalist and analyst, historian and self described amateur archaeologist. He can be found here: @FTusa284

Beth Maundrill is a defence and aerospace reporter at Shephard News specialising in unmanned and maritime security and is very active on Twitter. She can be found here: @GunshipGirl 

Forces/Unit Accounts

This is a list of official and personal accounts tied to the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces in any capacity. Take note, the list is currently quite short but we’ll be adding to it over the coming days and weeks.

Carriers

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carrier, the largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy and her Twitter account posts often, usually with news about the vessel and frequently with fantastic images taken onboard. The account can be found here: @HMSQnlz

HMS Prince of Wales is the second of the new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier to be built for the UK. The ships account can be found here: @HMSPWLS

Amphibious Assault Ships

HMS Albion can be found here: @hms_albion

HMS Bulwark can be found here: @HMSBulwark

Frigates

HMS Argyll can be found at: @hms_argyll

HMS Lancaster can be found at: @HMSLANCASTER

HMS Iron Duke can be found at: @HMSIronDuke

HMS Monmouth can be found at: @HMS_MONMOUTH

HMS Montrose can be found at: @HMS_MONTROSE

HMS Westminster can be found at: @HMS_Westminster

HMS Northumberland can be found at: @HMSNORT

HMS Richmond can be found at: @HMS_Richmond

HMS Somerset can be found at: @HMSSomerset

HMS Sutherland can be found at: @HMSSutherland

HMS Kent can be found at: @hms_kent

HMS Portland can be found at: @HMSPortland

HMS St Albans can be found at: @HMSStAlbans

Destroyers

HMS Daring can be found here: @HMSDaring

HMS Dauntless can be found here: @HMSDauntless

HMS Diamond can be found here: @hmsdiamond

HMS Dragon can be found here: @HMSDragon

HMS Defender can be found here: @HMSDefender

HMS Duncan can be found here: @HMSDuncan

Other Vessels

HMS Enterprise is a survey vessel designed to carry out a wide range of survey work, including support to submarine and amphibious operations. Her Twitter account posts often informative and, for the most part, very funny tweets. The account can be found here: @HMSEnterprise

Stations

RAF Lossiemouth can be found here: @RAFLossiemouth

RNAS Yeovilton can be found here: @RNASYeovilton

RAF Cosford can be found here: @RAF_Cosford

Personnel/Unit Accounts

The First Sea Lord, the official account of Admiral Tony Radakin, can be found here: @AdmTonyRadakin

Assistant Chief of the Royal Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Ian Gale, can be found at @Ian_Gale

Lt Gen Ivan Jones – Commander Field Army – can be found here: @field_army

Air Vice-Marshal Al Gillespie – Air Officer Commanding No 2 Group – can be found here: @AlGillespieRAF

Greg Bagwell, a former Royal Air Force Air Marshal, is an aerospace and defence consultant and often tweets about issues relating to airpower. He can be found here: @gregbagwell

Hugh Nichols was the first UK pilot to perform a vertical landing in the F-35B Lightning and is active on Twitter discussing the aircraft and other defence matters. He can be found here: @DT_britain

Scott Williams is an F-35 pilot and the Officer Commanding of 207 Squadron, the new Operational Conversion Unit for the F-35B Lightning which will be based at RAF Marham. The Squadron is expected to stand up on 1st July 2019. Scott often tweets informed commentary regarding air-power and the F-35. He can be found here: @scottmox

Ship’s Cat offers unique insight into Royal Navy ships and facilities. They can be found here: @R08Cat

Will Matthews is the Army Recruiting Group Assessment Centre Second in Command. Royal Engineers Late Entry Officer, Veteran of Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq & Afghanistan. He can be found here: @2iC_ACP

Joint Helicopter Support Squadron are the UK Armed Forces Joint Helicopter Command. They can be found at @Joint_Heli

30 Armoured Engineer Squadron can be found tweeting about close support engineering. You can find them here: @30armdengrsqn

Mark is a Photographer for the British Armed Forces and often tweets fantastic imagery taken by himself and others. He can be found here: @rawlimark

Jowan Penn-Barwell is a Royal Navy Commando surgeon sharing research on military Ortho Trauma. He can be found here: @MilOrthoTrauma

Any suggestions?

This list will be updated and expanded upon over time and we really need to stress that this list is not complete and probably never will be as it’ll be added to and updated as time moves forward. If we’ve missed someone, let us know!