The United Kingdom will contribute autonomous mine-hunting systems, Typhoon fighter jets and HMS Dragon to a planned multinational mission aimed at securing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The deployment package includes £115 million in new defence funding.
The United Kingdom and France will host a multinational meeting on Tuesday involving more than 40 nations to discuss a defensive mission aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz. HMS Dragon will deploy to the Middle East to support possible future operations.
The United Kingdom will supply at least 120,000 drones to Ukraine in 2026 as part of a wider military support programme. The package includes strike, reconnaissance and logistics drones, alongside artillery and air defence support.
The UK has disclosed details of a Russian submarine operation near critical undersea infrastructure, with British and allied forces tracking vessels in the High North and surrounding waters amid increased Russian naval activity.
The UK Ministry of Defence plans to acquire Skyhammer interceptor missiles from Cambridge Aerospace to counter drone threats, with deliveries expected from May. The system will also be supplied to Gulf partners under a multi-million pound agreement.
The UK has allocated £200 million to prepare its armed forces for possible deployment to Ukraine as part of the Multinational Force for Ukraine. The funding will support equipment upgrades and air defence efforts as planning continues for a potential peace agreement.
The UK government has launched Project Nightfall to develop a new ground-launched ballistic missile for Ukraine with a range of more than 500 kilometres. The programme aims to deliver test missiles within 12 months and support long-range strike capability and comes as Russia carried out a strike on Ukraine last week using the Oreshnik system.
The UK has launched a consolidated Military Intelligence Services structure and a new Defence Counter-Intelligence Unit to accelerate intelligence operations and respond to rising hostile activity, with officials citing a significant surge in cyber and espionage threats. A new Defence Intelligence Academy will provide training in cyber, space and geospatial intelligence disciplines.
The UK has launched Atlantic Bastion, a hybrid undersea warfare programme integrating autonomous systems, AI and traditional naval assets to protect critical infrastructure amid rising Russian submarine activity.
The UK and Norway have agreed to operate a combined fleet of Type 26 frigates and deepen defence cooperation to counter rising Russian submarine activity and protect critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic.
