The UK has completed its first successful laser communication data download from a satellite in Low Earth Orbit, demonstrating a system intended to support faster and more secure military communications.
MBDA announced that the SPEAR air-to-surface missile completed its first flight aboard a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B test aircraft earlier this year. The flight at Naval Air Station Patuxent River marked another stage in the integration programme for the weapon onto the UK’s F-35B fleet, with additional testing activities planned.
The British Army will procure 72 RCH 155 remote controlled artillery systems under a contract worth nearly £1 billion. The programme involving Rheinmetall and KNDS will replace AS90 artillery systems transferred to Ukraine.
The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has tested a new digital messaging system called AIM designed to help military forces coordinate sensors, uncrewed systems and weapons more quickly during battlefield “find and strike” operations.
The UK has tested its new Skyhammer interceptor missiles in Jordan to counter drone threats. The system, developed by Cambridge Aerospace, is part of a new defence contract, with deliveries to UK forces expected to begin in May.
The UK Ministry of Defence will conduct a major wargame with five defence companies to assess how supply chains would perform during sustained conflict. The exercise will examine risks, capacity constraints and policy responses to maintain military equipment supply.
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 British Royal Navy’s sixth Astute Class submarine, HMS Agamemnon, has completed her first dive at BAE Systems’ Barrow shipyard, marking a key stage in trials before entering operational service. The test verified weight, stability, and onboard systems performance.
Offering the latest look at the form of the future next generation fighter, the model of the flying demonstrator for the next generation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) combat aircraft was published on Thursday, with the demonstrator expected to be ready for flight by the end of 2027, becoming the first such aircraft developed in the UK in the last 40 years.
The proposed 2,000+ km range deep precision weapon planned to be fielded in the 2030s could fill a capability gap uncovered by the death of the INF Treaty between Russia and the U.S., which barred land-based intermediate range missiles.
