Ministry of Defence

Wolfhound Vehicle with Laser Directed Energy Weapon A high-energy laser weapon has been fired by the British Army from an armoured vehicle for the first time and successfully destroyed flying drones.  It works by directing an intense beam of infra-red light in the form of energy towards its target using advanced sensors and tracking systems which maintain … Read more

A UK trade mission, formed of representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Business and Trade, and the defence trade association ADS, visited Ukraine to hold meetings with Ukrainian Government and industry representatives. It is the latest step in the growing relationship between the UK’s defence industrial sector and Ukraine’s, following the signing of … Read more

Ukrainian recruits receive training under Operation Interflex The UK will train further cohorts of Ukrainian men and women to become soldiers on British soil, as part of this new government’s commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. The training operation, which continues to evolve to incorporate lessons identified from Ukraine’s frontline, … Read more

Aircraft inside current anti-jamming facility. Credit: Qinetiq The facility will provide a key capability to develop UK assets that can perform in the harshest electromagnetic environments on operations.  Under the new £20 million contract, QinetiQ will build a radio frequency, anti-jamming test facility at the Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down site in Wiltshire.   The ‘silent hangar’ will be … Read more

HMS Duncan leaves Portsmouth Royal Navy warship HMS Duncan has deployed from Portsmouth today to the Red Sea. The Type 45 destroyer will relieve its sister ship HMS Diamond, which has been protecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks since before Christmas. HMS Duncan is a like-for-like replacement for Diamond – armed … Read more

A Royal Air Force Typhoon departs on a mission supporting Operation Shader in support of the Counter-Daesh operations in Iraq and Syria. Crown Copyright. Summary Sunday 21 April 2024 – RAF Typhoons struck a rocket launcher in northwest Iraq. Detail On the evening of Sunday 21 April, a pair of Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, … Read more

Today’s necessary and proportionate strikes specifically targeted 18 Houthi targets across 8 locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global … Read more

500 support trucks will be delivered to the British Army in 2024 to support operational activity, following a rapid procurement process. Collaboration between Defence Equipment & Support, Army Headquarters and the Field Army has helped push the boundaries of Defence procurement, acquiring all the vehicles in just 7 months. Under a £282 million contract, Rheinmetall … Read more

New space capability programme to improve global security. Cawdor Barracks in Wales identified as preferred UK site, conditional on Environmental Impact Assessment and Town planning approval. All three global radar sites to be operational by the end of the decade. A new landmark radar initiative with the UK’s closest partners will increase UK security by … Read more

UK MOD © Crown copyright 2023 Defence Secretary Grant Shapps travelled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this week to drive forward work to maintain regional stability, protect civilians and strengthen the UK’s defence partnerships. He met with leaders in both countries as part of the UK’s coordinated diplomatic efforts … Read more