Future of Army Reserve training at Grantham unresolved
The Ministry of Defence has said it cannot yet confirm how Army Reserve basic training will be delivered once the Grantham barracks closes, or what any change would cost, pointing to a review of training across the UK due to report in autumn 2026.
Back-loading defence budget ‘a disaster’, MPs told
Putting off the bulk of Britain's planned increase in defence spending until the years immediately before the 2035 target would be a serious mistake, the Director-General of Make UK Defence Andrew Kinniburgh has warned MPs.
Defence firms being ‘de-banked’, MPs told
A growing number of British defence firms are struggling to get bank overdrafts and working capital, the Treasury Committee has heard.
Chinese student admits photographing US military jets
A University of Glasgow aeronautical engineering student has pleaded guilty in the United States to photographing military aircraft at a Nebraska air base.
UK yet to board any shadow fleet vessels
No Russian shadow fleet vessel has been boarded in British waters since the government took the power to do so, with the Ministry of Defence declining to give any figures.
Five Eyes warn of Chinese spies posing as job recruiters
Chinese military intelligence officers are posing as recruiters on sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork to lure people with access to sensitive information into writing paid reports, the Five Eyes agencies have warned in a joint bulletin setting out how the approach works.
Covenant legal duty does not cover RFA staff, minister says
The Armed Forces Covenant does not extend to Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel, a defence minister has said, though some who have served on operations may be considered in its spirit.
Navantia installs new cutting line in Methil upgrade
Navantia UK has installed a new plasma cutting line at its Methil yard in Fife as part of a GBP 27 million investment in the site, with the shipbuilder reporting a growing workforce and a recently delivered transport barge for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Royal Navy Merlin helicopter crashes in Devon
A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter has come down in a field near Sourton in Devon in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting a large emergency services response.
SPEAR 3 integration on F-35B a priority, says minister
The Ministry of Defence's immediate focus is finalising the integration of the SPEAR 3 missile onto the F-35B, Defence Minister Luke Pollard has said.
