Air Force combat search-and-rescue, also known as CSAR, is the military's force dedicated to rescuing downed aircrew. Combat search-and-rescue missions are dangerous under the best of conditions, ideally on dark nights with no moonlight.
Asgard will help it realise the ambitions of the government's 2025 Strategic defence review, which promised to 'deliver a tenfold increase in lethality over the next 10 years' via a combination of enhanced 'firepower, surveillance technology, autonomy, digital connectivity and data'.
CMCs are a composite material, one in which the fibers are ceramic or carbon, embedded in a ceramic matrix. They are created to overcome the brittleness of traditional ceramics, while providing high-temperature resistance, light weight, and high strength. According to DSTL, they are capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 1,000°C (1,832°F), and unlike metals, they hold their strength and shape under extreme heat and stress.
The RFI calls for a "rapidly procured and installable Counter UAS (unmanned aircraft system) capability" that is "suitable for maritime platforms to detect, track, identify, and defeat airborne threats." Project TALON will combine a mix of "effectors" both kinetic and non-kinetic to counter the threats posed by the proliferation of drones, and is intended to complement current complex missile-based systems.
Bases in Erbil where UK and allied troops are stationed and Baghdad were struck a number of times on Wednesday night, according to Brigadier Guy Foden, in what is the third attack on British forces since the conflict began.
British forces have shot down multiple drones across the Middle East over the past 24 hours as Iran continues to retaliate against countries across the region in response to US and Israeli strikes. The UK said that the interception of drones above Jordan marks 'the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations.' The fighters were supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft.
Two jets out of the four sent to Qatar have been allocated specifically to help Bahrain intercept incoming drones, as the US-Israel war with Iran has entered its second week. It comes as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper landed in Saudi Arabia on Thursday amid continued concern about Iranian threats to the Strait of Hormuz - a key artery for commercial shipping.
The Royal Navy said on Friday that they have launched a new full size crewless helicopter which is designed to track submarines and will undertake missions in the North Atlantic. Since Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale war in Ukraine the defence industry has been remodelled as most European government's have increased military spending. The helicopter named "Proteus" has completed a test flight and was part of a £60 million programme,
Some aircraft succeeded even though they made life harder for the people flying them. They demanded constant attention, punished mistakes, and left little margin for error. Instead of relying on forgiving design, these platforms forced crews to compensate through skill, planning, and coordination. Over time, combat proved that the human element was the decisive factor behind their success. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at these aircraft that embodied the human factor.
Last night, they shot down two UAVs approaching the camp. However, several UAVs did impact the camp. We are seeing increasing coordination in those attacks. A number of other UAVs did impact the camp, but there were no British casualties. Their operations have therefore been fairly continuous since the situation began.
ŠIAULIAI AIR BASE, Lithuania - A Spanish fighter wing deployed to the Baltics for air patrol missions alongside anti-drone defenses for the first time, a reaction to growing uncrewed threats to European infrastructure. Spain's 15th Wing arrived at Šiauliai Air Base in December to begin a four-month rotation contributing to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, designed to protect the airspace around Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Crow counter-drone system came with it.
Britain is to develop new air defence weapons alongside the EU's four biggest military powers, deepening ties with the European defence sector. The project will invite manufacturers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Poland to submit plans to build low-cost missiles and autonomous drones. The allies are pledging a speedy process to build the weapons together, inspired by Ukraine's development of cheap drones to counter attacks from Russia.
I still like European defence as a theme. The rearmament story is yet to really even begin and whilst we have seen a material rerating in several large defence names on the continent and in the UK, a selloff in the autumn on some fuzzy 'Ukraine peace deal hope' trade is overdone and fails to capture the long-term value in the sector.
Trump said on Thursday that a US armada is heading towards the Gulf region with Iran being its focus. US officials said an aircraft carrier strike group and other assets are to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. We're watching Iran. We have a big force going towards Iran, Trump said. And maybe we won't have to use it. We have a lot of ships going that direction.
We took a very specific decision not to provide support for strikes that were taking place over this weekend. We have been clear that we believe there should be a diplomatic process, negotiations process. But we also now face the situation where there are 300,000 estimated British citizens in other Gulf countries that are being targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. That is why we are providing support for defensive action.
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Irish political leaders are bracing themselves for the fallout from the US and Israeli strikes on Iran as widespread travel disruptions cause chaos across the Gulf and Middle East. Some airports in the region have closed indefinitely, leaving Irish tourists stranded, as well as about 14,000 Irish nationals living in the Middle East who potentially remain at risk.
The British government has not given permission for the US to use UK military bases to support potential US strikes on Iran, the BBC understands. The US has in the past used RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and the UK overseas territory of Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, to carry out strikes in the Middle East region. A UK government spokesperson said: "As routine, we do not comment on operational matters."