Current RN News and Updates

[Pelican]

Surge in counter-terrorism referrals in UK armed forces

In a recent update to the House of Commons, the Ministry of Defence disclosed information on the number of UK Armed Forces personnel referred to the government’s counter-terrorism programme, Prevent.
This disclosure came in response to an inquiry by Andrew Gwynne, Shadow Minister for Social Care, who posed the following question:

“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel of the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy, (c) RAF and (d) Royal Marines were referred to Prevent in each year since 2015.”

James Heappey, Minister for the Armed Forces, responded: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/surge-i ... ed-forces/

[Pelican]

Sir Humphrey
A very insightful and positive assessment on UK defence prospects by CDS - The speech is well worth reading in full as an affirmation of UK power and interests.
See - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/ ... ote-speech

[ivorthediver]

I very heartening and detailed format as he sees the future, with the benefit of the finer points that we are not privileged to know well delivered

[Pelican]

Navy Lookout
No increase in MoD budget is likely in the coming budget as govt considers tax cuts.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had promised to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence “whatever other pressures we face” in his leadership campaign. While PM agreed "we need to increase defence spending".
Today's Daily Telegraph:
Defence has to be a general election issue
War is coming. If Britain is to stand a chance, we must spend 3 per cent of GDP on the Armed Forces
BEN WALLACE - Do you think in No 10 that the penny has dropped...https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/0 ... ding-nato/

[Pelican]

Navy Lookout
Chief of the Defence Staff Adm Tony Radakin to remain in post for an extra year to retain continuity as the Ukraine war continues.
Radakin understood to have helped the Ukrainians with the strategy to destroy Russian Black Sea fleet.
First Sea Lord and other service chiefs time in post also extended to 4 years.
See - https://archive.is/i7qRa

[Pelican]

The Royal Navy’s future vision for the underwater battlespace

Here we look at how the RN is developing its vision for fighting in the increasingly contested undersea domain in the next two decades.

Background
Dominating the underwater battlespace (UWB) is especially critical to the UK. During two world wars, submarines nearly succeeded in cutting off the imports needed to feed the population and sustain industry. Britain is now arguably even more vulnerable to hostile underwater action than it was 80 years ago. As a nation, we are less self-sufficient and depend on a global supply chain for almost every aspect of life. Unlike the 1940s, the UK is also much more dependent on energy from overseas carried both by ship and through undersea connectors. Imports are now delivered by fewer, but much larger, ships than in the past meaning the loss of a single merchant vessel would have a disproportionately greater economic impact.

In the 21st century the internet has become foundational to the economy but this has unwittingly created another vulnerability, adding another complex dimension to the UWB due the reliance on undersea cables that carry the majority of data around the globe.

See - https://www.navylookout.com/the-royal-n ... ttlespace/

[Pelican]

An independent Scotland, NATO & nukes – The problem

The SNP has claimed that removing Trident from Faslane would not prevent Scotland from joining NATO, but is that accurate? I don’t believe so.
Since NATO was founded more than 70 years ago, in the words of NATO itself, nuclear weapons have been “the foundation of the Alliance’s collective security”.

The newest addition to the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series of policy papers states:

“This Scottish Government would make it a cornerstone of defence policy that an independent Scotland would only participate in overseas military operations that are lawful, approved by Scottish Ministers, and authorised by the Scottish Parliament. Furthermore, nuclear weapons should be removed from Scotland in the safest and most expeditious manner possible following independence. Neither of these proposals would prevent Scotland’s ability to act in self-defence or join NATO.”

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/an-inde ... e-problem/


Scottish Government outline post-independence military

The Scottish Government today released a comprehensive proposal titled “Building a New Scotland: An Independent Scotland’s Place in the World,” laying the groundwork for the nation’s defence and international posture in the wake of independence, should that option return to the table.
Crafted by the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs, and Culture, the document outlines the strategic framework for the defence and security of an independent Scotland.

Here’s the summary.

“An independent Scotland would have its own armed forces, supported by a modern contract for personnel and strong support for veterans. Decisions on future forces capability would be informed by a comprehensive, expert-led Defence and Security Review. This would ensure that planning and capability were responsive to the threat environment and geopolitical challenges in play at the point of independence. This would be aligned with Scotland’s priorities as an independent country – joining NATO, committing to the EU’s Common Security and Defence

Policy and building a collaborative, mutually beneficial defence and security relationship with the UK as well as other key strategic partners.

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/scottis ... -military/


Building a New Scotland

It is vital that the people of Scotland have the information they need to make an informed choice about Scotland’s future.

A series of papers, titled ‘Building a New Scotland’, form a prospectus for an independent Scotland.

See - https://www.gov.scot/newscotland/?utm_s ... ewscotland

[Pelican]

An independent Scotland

Sir Humphrey@pinstripedline
Demolition of the Scots Gov paper on defence
What follows is a strictly personal private perspective on one of the most challenging debates in UK politics but viewed strictly from the perspective of analysing the policy.
See - https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com ... ce-in.html

[Pelican]

UK outlines when Destroyers will get missile upgrades

The Ministry of Defence is to spend £405 million to upgrade the Sea Viper missile system recently used by the Royal Navy to down drones over the Red Sea.

Initial Operating Capability for the upgrades is scheduled for February 2028.

The information came to light in response to a Written Parliamentary Question.

Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, asked:

“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans the upgrade to Type 45’s Sea Viper Air Defence system to deliver Ballistic Missile Defence Capability will achieve initial operating capability.”

James Cartlidge, The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, responded:

“Sea Viper Evolution is the first stage of UK Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) with enhancements to the Type 45 Destroyer’s Multi-Function Radar, Combat Management System (CMS), Weapon Command and Control (C2), and the ASTER 30 Block 1 missile. Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is scheduled for February 2028, and the UK is currently in an Assessment Phase for future capability upgrades.”

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was quoted as saying:

“As the situation in the Middle East worsens, it is vital that we adapt to keep the UK, our allies and partners safe. Sea Viper has been at the forefront of this, being the Navy’s weapon of choice in the first shooting down of an aerial threat in more than 30 years.”

Continues at - https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-outl ... -upgrades/

[Pelican]

QinetiQ supplier on new £1.2bn IT framework for MOD

QinetiQ has been named as a supplier on the new Digital and IT Professional Services (DIPS) framework for the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) to be run by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS).
Over four years the framework agreement will deliver a range of digital and IT specialist’s professional services to Defence Digital, accounting for an estimated £1.2bn of spend.

QinetiQ has been named as a prime supplier on two of six lots:

Lot 2: DevApps, UX, Dev Ops, System Design & Applications Support
Lot 3: Cyber Security, Crypto, Security Operations & Integrated systems.
In addition, QinetiQ is a subcontract partner on two additional lots of the framework:

Lot 1: Solution, Enterprise & Tech Architecture, Data, Innovation Tech Assurance & Knowledge and Information Management
Lot 6: Intelligence Solutions.
James Willis, Chief Executive, UK Intelligence, QinetiQ, said:

“We have a proven track record under similar framework agreements of successfully partnering with an ecosystem of both large contractors with a long heritage in defence and suppliers that are newer to defence who can bring fresh perspectives to defence challenges, to address our customers’ most complex challenges at pace. I’m delighted with our selection as a leading provider on the DIPS framework as it allows us to leverage our well-established expertise in defence and security across air, sea, land, cyber domains to develop exciting new solutions that will deliver vital mission capability.”

Through this new framework QinetiQ and its partners, will deliver services aligned with its core offerings of digital engineering (DevSecOps), cyber security and mission systems architectures, to enable information sharing and provide actionable intelligence for multiple operational users and deliver core mission capability to the Armed Forces.

Source UKDJ