The UK has confirmed that it will buy nine new Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft as part of a £178 billion investment in defence equipment and support over the next decade.
Plans to buy nine aircraft and other equipment will be formally unveiled in the government’s strategic defence and security review (SDSR), released today.
The P-8 'Poseidon' aircraft will provide maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare and increase ‘ the protection of our nuclear deterrent and our new aircraft carriers’, according to the MoD.
Each aircraft will be fitted with torpedoes and a range of sensors including advanced radar
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The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
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