#uk-defence

#uk-defence

Britain's submarine fleet is in a "parlous state", a former navy chief has warned, amid the growing underwater threat from Russia. Labour peer Lord West of Spithead, speaking at Westminster, said the silent service was in its worst condition across his 60 years of military service. The former defence minister informed parliament it was "horrifying" that at times last year, the UK lacked a single operational attack submarine. He also raised concerns over the pressures faced by the nation's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent.

Ministers still do not know when RAF jets will be able to carry nuclear weapons or how much the project will cost, the Commons spending watchdog has found. In a report published on Friday, the influential Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had still not set out how much it would cost to operate new F-35A jets. Sir Keir Starmer announced at the Nato summit in June that the UK would purchase 12 of the jets.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and several experts believe that it is highly likely that a number of US B61-12 gravity bombs were delivered to a US air force squadron last week, the first US nuclear deployment in the UK since 2008.

Fiona Hill emphasized that the UK must strengthen its cohesion and resiliency as Russia becomes a more aggressive adversary while U.S. support wanes.

Keir Starmer is sounding like he is on a war path with his 'battle-ready, armour-clad nation' rhetoric. Security is not just based on arms expenditure and threats, but on real leadership that uses diplomacy and development too.

With the establishment of a new home guard, Britain aims to enhance security protecting critical infrastructure against potential threats, reflecting concerns of increasing global uncertainty.

The British defence industry will be the engine of national renewal, not just about increasing our defence, but about reform and rebuilding.

BAE Systems is prioritizing domestic production of explosives, moving away from reliance on US imports due to concerns over political stability and military partnership.