Britain confirms funding for new sixth gen fighter jet

The Defence Investment Plan confirms £8.6bn over four years for the Global Combat Air Programme, the next-generation fighter Britain is building with Japan and Italy, funding its concept and design phases.

Britain boosting homeland missile defence in new plans

A GBP 790m investment will revamp the UK's air and missile defences, buying new radars and sensors, upgrading Sea Viper on the Type 45s, expanding counter-drone systems and building a new air, space and missile defence operations centre.

Starmer backs 5 billion drone overhaul for UK forces in DIP

The Prime Minister will launch the Defence Investment Plan with more than 5 billion over four years for drones and autonomous systems across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF.

France picks THUNDART for Long-Range Strike

MBDA and Safran have entered final contract talks with the DGA to supply THUNDART, a guided rocket reaching up to 150km, as France replaces its ageing LRU launchers with a sovereign deep-strike system.
Silhouette of a small aircraft on a runway at sunset, with an orange sky and distant mountains.

Defence minister rebukes MP over written question volume

A minister has taken the rare step of chastising a Conservative MP within a parliamentary answer itself, telling Ben Obese-Jecty MP that his recent questions have cost the department staff time.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport works for Voyager tankers complete

Lagan Airport Maintenance has completed works at Glasgow Prestwick to host the RAF Voyager fleet under Project MACE, with the first Voyager arriving earlier this month while Brize Norton undergoes resurfacing.
Smiling pilot leans from the cockpit of a white and orange airplane, holding a Union Jack flag that reads Armed Forces Day: Show Your Support.

easyJet awarded Bronze ERS status in Armed Forces Week flight

easyJet has been awarded Bronze status under the MoD's Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, with the certificate presented at 20,000 feet on a London Luton to Jersey flight operated by reservist and veteran crew during Armed Forces Week.
White business jet with Union Jack tail taxiing on a runway under a cloudy sky

No restart date for VIP jet defensive fit-out, MoD confirms

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed there is no date set for resuming work to equip the Royal Air Force's Envoy IV ministerial jets to operate in non-benign airspace, with the programme remaining paused indefinitely while other priorities take precedence.
Unmanned RAF surveillance aircraft on a runway, with two large wings and a light gray fuselage marked 'ROYAL AIR FORCE'.

British drone spotted carrying covert spy pod

A Royal Air Force Protector RG Mk1 has been photographed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus carrying what appears to be the so-called Outdragon signals intelligence pod.
Stealth fighter jet lifting off from a runway, low above a grassy field with a fence in the foreground.

Italian jets fly with Turkish drones in K-SWARM live trial

Leonardo and Baykar have completed the first phase of live testing for their K-SWARM programme, with Italian M-346 jets and the Turkish-built Bayraktar KIZILELMA uncrewed fighter aircraft flying joint autonomous formations over Turkey.