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.
Britain confirms no cuts to Type 26 frigate order plans
The Royal Navy will still receive all eight Type 26 frigates despite build slots being offered to Norway, Minister Luke Pollard has told Parliament, as the two countries work toward a combined fleet of 13 vessels.
UK shipbuilding gets priority status in procurement reform
The government has listed shipbuilding among the sectors marked for priority procurement reform, a change the Ministry of Defence says will direct more contracts to British shipyards.
Over 40 nations join UK-France maritime security effort
The UK and France are leading a multinational effort involving more than 40 countries to protect merchant shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, with Britain committing HMS Dragon, Typhoon jets, autonomous mine-hunting kit and counter-drone systems to a planned defensive mission.
Russian threat to UK ‘real and rising’, Healey tells MPs
The Defence Secretary told the Commons that Russia poses a significant and persistent threat to the UK, citing near-daily cyber attacks, disinformation and sabotage.
US Navy picks seven firms for drone vessel trials
The United States Navy has selected seven companies to take their medium unmanned surface vessel designs forward to at-sea testing, the next stage of a marketplace effort aimed at fielding autonomous warships.
Russian subs threaten North Sea cabling, MSP warns
Michael Marra MSP told Holyrood that pulling Scotland out of UK defence arrangements would force up the cost of protecting North Sea infrastructure, just as Russian submarines menace undersea cables.
HMS Stirling Castle delivers kit for Hormuz mission
The Royal Navy's specialist mine-hunting mothership HMS Stirling Castle has completed a delivery of vessels and equipment to Gibraltar.
Canada picks Thales S2087 sonar for River-class ships
Thales Canada has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Canada to supply the S2087 towed array sonar for the Royal Canadian Navy's future River-class destroyers.
