The Ministry of Defence has reaffirmed its commitment to using British-made steel where possible in upgrades to Royal Navy, Army and RAF bases, as part of a wider effort to strengthen domestic supply chains and sustain the UK’s defence industrial base.
Responding to written questions from Baroness Redfern, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said the UK steel sector “provides vital support to the UK’s defence capabilities, including specialist cast and forged steel components for a range of UK defence programmes such as submarines, surface vessels and artillery barrels.”
He explained that while steel for major defence programmes is often sourced through prime contractors from both UK and international suppliers, the government remains “committed to creating the right conditions in the UK for a competitive and sustainable steel industry.”
Lord Coaker said the Ministry of Defence is working closely with other departments on the development of a new government steel strategy, which will “set a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable industry and outline the actions needed to get there.”
The strategy will aim to “secure UK steel supply chains and create a competitive business environment in the UK.”
He added that a strong domestic industrial base is essential for national security, referencing the National Security Strategy, the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy published in September.
I saw an article about South Korea earlier, saying that they are to produce Super Strength Steel to use in their Shipbuilding.
A new alloy? Or am I missing something 🙂
Dunno, I’m no meteorologist. 😁
Meteors, aren’t those the balls of fire the angry gods throw at us from the heavens?
Yes, yes they are.
Also they are what you get after chopping hot Chillies. 😁
Chopping up hot Chillies, wouldn’t you end up with a quarter of Nirvana??🤷🤷
Only when the pain wears off.
Surely you mean a meteoriticist-i.e a person who studies meteors? Also very interesting article on Trump wanting to bring back big gun Battleships in todays Telegraph!
I have no Idea what I mean at all.
Hey Geoff, I like the Idea of “Big Gun Battleships” maybe we could build a few dozen and blockade China ?
Hey Halfwit-brilliant idea! Let me run it past my people and will come back to you soon! 🙂
ps-funnily enough, the last Battleship in the RN fleet visited South Africa in 1947 with the late King George and Queen Elizabeth 2nd. Apparently one of our Boer War compatriots from the Boer side was still very angry about the Engelse(English) and their actions in the 1899-1902 conflict. The Queen Mum siad how she understood his feelings, particularly as she was a Scot!! (true story-Scouts Honour-note proper spelling of Honour)
Was this something to do with a Bridge and a disrepectfull act ?
I have a vague memory !
An Afrikaans veteran of the Boer War was voicing how bitter he was about English(sic)* brutality during the Anglo-Boer War and she diplomatically said she sympathised as she was a Scot!!
* Typical of how many confuse English and British.
HMS Vanguard Geoff👍
100% John. I remember seeing some footage of Princess Elizabeth play a game on what appeared to be a wooden deck!?
What nonsense. The MOD’s annual purchases of steel (directly and indirectly) are so small that Jingye Group will not have the slightest interest in adjusting its business and investments plans to cater for its needs, beyond offering at very attractive prices the specialist high-performance steels that it makes in China, but which the MOD is currently buying from foundries in the EU. E.g. The HY-80 and HY-100 steel used for the Astute and Dreadnought pressure hulls is purchased from ArcelorMittal in France. British Steel stopped making this steel back in the 1980’s, and the MODs requirement of c.2000 tonnes a year (worth £10 million?) for submarine construction is hardly likely to tempt Jingye to re-open production in the UK. Also, to get best value, BAES Submarines only places a very occasional large order for materials such as HY-80/100 steel which is then slowly drawn from storage over years – even a decade.
The article mentions the MOD using it to upgrade RAF, Navy and Army Bases.
Just sayin. 😁
HY-80 is apparently just $450 a ton at the moment, so please replace “worth £10 million?” with a lower figure of your choice.
Like all government utterances? This is propaganda. When people believe government again, if ever? We can say politicians have cleaned up their act, as Starmer promised to do. Do not hold your breath.