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26 Apr 24. Croatia welcomes first batch of Rafale jets amid modernisation. Croatian Air Force’s acquisition of French Rafale jets marks a milestone for its Air Force.
Zagreb witnesses the arrival of the first six Rafale jets, signalling Croatia’s commitment to enhancing its defence capabilities in collaboration with France.
In a ceremony attended by top government officials, including President Zoran Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Croatia formally welcomed the arrival of its first six Rafale jets at the 91 operational base near Zagreb. The event marks a milestone in Croatia’s efforts to modernise its military and strengthen its defence capabilities.
Acquired from the French Air and Space Force as part of a larger procurement deal initiated in November 2021, these aircraft are set to bolster the operational readiness of the Croatian Air Force, known as Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana (HRZ i PZO). Trained pilots from Croatia underwent training in France to operate these fighter jets, showcasing the deepening cooperation between the two nations in defence matters.
Croatia is acquiring 12 Rafale fighter jets to replace the ageing MiG-21 aircraft. The total contract cost for these aircraft is $960m. The contract also includes logistics support for three subsequent years and covers training for the Croatian Air Force, as revealed by GlobalData’s intelligence on the Croatian defence market.
The arrival of the Rafale jets reaffirms Croatia’s partnership with France. With the next batch of Rafale expected to arrive by the end of 2024, Croatia aims to establish a complete squadron by mid-2025, further enhancing its aerial defence capabilities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Éric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, emphasised the integration and logistic support provided by France: “The mastery with which the Croatian Air Force carried out this first ferry testifies to the excellence of its pilots and personnel, and brilliantly illustrates the quality of Croatia’s cooperation with France.
“Dassault Aviation is fully committed to completing the full integration and logistic support of the Rafale into the Croatian Air Force, which will contribute to ensuring Croatia’s sovereignty and enable it to successfully carry out its operational missions within Nato.”
Dassault Aviation SA occupies 5.6% of the European military fixed-wing aircraft market and anticipates earnings of $15.1bn. According to GlobalData’s The Global Military Fixed Wing Aircraft Market 2023-2033 report, the company has undertaken major programmes including Rafale aircraft for France, Greece, and Croatia.
Various countries have made moves in recent years involving Dassault Rafale fighter jets. France’s Defence Procurement Agency awarded Dassault Aviation a contract for 42 Rafale aircraft, Indonesia concluded its purchase of 18 Rafale jets, India opted to equip its Navy with Navy Rafale, Greece signed a deal for an additional six Rafale jets, expanding its fleet to 24 aircraft while bordering country Serbia was in discussions to acquire 12 new Rafales.
With the Rafale jets in service, Croatia is poised to play a more active role in regional security efforts while enhancing its interoperability within the broader Nato framework. (Source: GlobalData)
26 Apr 24. UK summons Russian Ambassador following allegations of Russian orchestrated malign activity on UK soil. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has today summoned the Russian Ambassador Andrey Kelin following allegations of Russian orchestrated malign activity on UK soil. An FCDO spokesperson said: “The UK remains deeply concerned by allegations of Russian orchestrated malign activity on UK soil, as well as the wider reported pattern of behaviour we are witnessing on the part of the Russian Federation to sponsor such activity on the territory of other, sovereign states. We call for an immediate cessation of this activity and we will continue to work with our allies to deter and defend against the full spectrum of threats that emanate from Russia.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
26 Apr 24. Sweden should hike military budget to 2.6% of GDP, defence committee says. Sweden should raise its military spending to around 2.6% of GDP by 2030, a parliamentary committee said in a report on Friday, as the country rebuilds its defence capabilities after joining NATO in March. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced a rethink of security policy in Sweden. The Nordic country’s defence spending has roughly doubled since 2020 to around 120 billion crowns ($11 billion) in 2024, when the government says it will meet NATO’s target of a military budget equivalent to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP).
The committee proposed speeding up an expansion of the army, investment in defence against air attack, and an expansion of the navy. It said conscription should be increased to 12,000 recruits from 2032 and there should also be more money for civil defence.
“If you put all these … together with the plans the military has put forward, we are going to add around 200 billion (crowns) ($18.5 billion) during this period,” Hans Wallmark, defence spokesperson for the Moderate Party and one of the authors of the report, told a press conference.
The committee is made up of representatives of all the parties in Sweden’s parliament and, as such, many of its recommendations are very likely to be adopted.
There was no agreement on how to finance the additional spending, however.
Like most Western states, Sweden gradually scaled down its defence spending after the end of the Cold War three decades ago but started to ramp that up again from around 1% of GDP following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
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Most other NATO members have also reversed course, after years during which spending did not meet NATO’s 2% target, causing irritation in the United States, the alliance’s de facto leader.
During his term in office President Donald Trump frequently complained that the United States was paying more than its fair share.
His suggestion in February that he would not protect countries that fail to meet the alliance’s defense spending targets, and would even encourage Russia to attack them, caused consternation in Europe.
Of NATO’s 32 members, Poland spends the highest percentage of GDP on defence at about 3.9%. Britain said on Tuesday it would hike military spending. ($1 = 10.8649 Swedish crowns) (Source: Reuters)
25 Apr 24. China must stop aiding Russia if it seeks good relations with West, NATO says. China must stop supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if it wants to enjoy good relations with the West, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, warning Beijing in unusually harsh words it cannot have it both ways.
During a visit to Berlin, the chief of the Western military alliance said Beijing’s help was vital to Moscow’s war effort as it was propping up Russia’s war economy by sharing high-end technology like semiconductors.
“Last year, Russia imported 90% of its microelectronics from China, used to produce missiles, tanks and aircraft. China is also working to provide Russia with improved satellite capabilities and imaging,” Stoltenberg said.
“China says it wants good relations with the West. At the same time, Beijing continues to fuel the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War Two. They cannot have it both ways,” he warned.
Stoltenberg cautioned Western allies against becoming as dependent on China as they had been on Russia.
“In the past, we made the mistake of becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas,” he said.
“We must not repeat that mistake with China. Depending on its money, its raw materials, its technologies – dependencies make us vulnerable.”
China has strengthened trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions on both, but particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.
China-Russian trade hit a record of $240.1bn in 2023, up 26.3% from a year earlier, Chinese customs data shows. Chinese shipments to Russia jumped 46.9% in 2023 while imports from Russia rose 13%.
Last month, Reuters reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in what could be the first overseas trip of his new presidential term. (Source: Reuters)
25 Apr 24. UK targets Iran’s ability to launch drones through new round of sanctions.
The UK, US and Canada have announced coordinated sanctions on Iran following the regime’s attack on Israel on 13 April.
• UK joins the US and Canada in announcing latest sanctions against Iran, following the regime’s attack on Israel on 13 April.
• The designations target individuals and companies involved in Iranian drone industry, following last week’s military sanctions.
• UK also announces plans for further trade sanctions against Iran, targeting additional specific components used in drone and missile production.
The UK has today announced further sanctions targeting Iran’s drone and missile industries.
The package, announced in coordination with the US and Canada, follows the regime’s attack on 13 April, in which over 300 drones and missiles were fired at Israel.
It comes after an initial set of sanctions announced last Thursday (18 April) in reaction to Iran’s drone attacks on Israel the previous weekend.
The UK is today sanctioning a further two individuals and four companies which are closely involved in Iran’s network of drone production.
In addition, the UK has also announced its plan to expand trade sanctions against the regime by introducing new bans on the export of components used in drone and missile production to Iran. These measures seek to deny Iran access to the components it needs to develop these weapons, limiting its military capabilities.
Foreign Secretary, David Cameron said: ”The Iranian regime’s dangerous attack on Israel risked thousands of civilian casualties and wider escalation in the region. Today the UK and our partners have sent a clear message – we will hold those responsible for Iran’s destabilising behaviour to account. Alongside our partners, we will continue to tighten the net on Iran’s ability to develop and export these deadly weapons.
Today’s announcement follows the commitment set out at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting last week to tackle Iran’s destabilising activity in the region.”
From today, Seyed Mohsen Vahabzadeh Moghadam and Abbas Abdi Asjerd are subject to a UK travel ban and asset freeze.
Both Moghadam and Asjerd are directors of a network of Iranian companies involved in producing drones.
They also have connections to Abdollah Mehrabi, head of the IRGC Aerospace Force SSJO, a key figure in Iran’s drone industry who was designated by the UK in 2022 for his role in supplying drones to Russia.
The following companies, which make up this network, are also subject to an asset freeze:
• Bonyan Danesh Shargh
• Pishro Sanat Aseman Sharif Company
• Alvand Motorbuilding Industries Company
• Moj Gostar Aseman Parvaz Company
The UK already has over 400 sanctions imposed on Iran, including designations against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety and many of those responsible for the attack on Israel.
The UK continues to expose those involved in the Iranian drones and missile production industries, having previously introduced trade measures prohibiting the export of specific components and services to Iran.
The UK has previously designated a wide range of companies involved in production of Iranian drones, including the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones – models which Iran has supplied to Russia. These types of drones were also used by Iran in its attack on Israel.
Today’s designations have been made under the new Iran sanctions regime, which came into force in December 2023 and enables the UK to target Iran’s hostile behaviour.
Further information:
• Today’s sanction package is the second UK package targeting individuals involved in Iran’s attack against Israel on 13 April. The first tranche was announced by the FCDO on 18 April.
• Today’s plan for further trade measures will build on the existing export restrictions which were introduced last year as part of our new Iran sanctions regime, which has given the UK extensive powers to tackle Iran’s hostile activities.
• Today’s sanctions package is being announced under the new Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023, which came into force in December 2023.
• The UK’s Iran Sanctions Regime contains measures designed to target individuals and organisations, including designation powers designed to deter the Government of Iran or armed groups that they back, from conducting hostile activity against the United Kingdom or any other country.
• The UK also maintains an arms embargo on Iran, as well as measures targeting ballistic missile production.
• Asset freeze: An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.
• Travel ban: A travel ban means that the designated person is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971, and must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom (and any leave given to a person who is an excluded person is invalid). (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
24 Apr 24. Joint statement following meeting of PM and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany. Joint statement following the meeting of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz today [24 April 2024].
Germany and the UK are close and longstanding Allies and strategic partners in securing a peaceful, stable and secure Europe. Our longstanding friendship is based on shared history, common values, and mutual interest. We have a shared vision of Euro-Atlantic security.
Euro-Atlantic security
In the face of the threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security, our ability to deter and defend must remain credible. Our commitment to NATO and the security of all Allies is unshakable.
To this end, it is important that we further strengthen the European contributions to NATO, including in the area of deterrence and through increased contributions and continued investments. This includes our respective lead nation roles in the Baltic countries. We will strengthen our presence also through joint exercises. We remain jointly committed to NATO-EU co-operation. For Germany, its membership of the European Union remains a key reference point and it supports cooperation between the EU and the UK.
We have agreed to deepen our immediate defence cooperation including in the area of operational and industrial cooperation and further advance our capabilities and the interoperability of our armed forces.
Together Germany and the UK will jointly acquire, assess and optimise the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155mm wheeled artillery system (RCH 155). This will build on our wide-ranging existing cooperation, including our ongoing cooperation on BOXER which we will further develop.
We also intend to promote the Eurofighter/Typhoon aircraft, including through jointly modernising our fleets and cooperating on exports.
We will also develop our cooperation in Air Defence, including through the European Sky Shield Initiative, the DIAMOND Initiative, and through NATO Multi-National Procurement Initiatives.
We have discussed efforts to strengthen the European defence industrial base, to which Germany and the UK contribute significantly, including through the framework of OCCAR. Germany supports the UK joining the German-French-Spanish agreement on export control.
We will coordinate our respective deployments and activities in the Indo-Pacific, with our air forces conducting joint exercises in the region later this year.
We have decided to establish a task force, reporting back by the summer, to develop a structured and enhanced framework for our bilateral security and defence cooperation. This will build on our 2018 Joint Vision Statement, and existing cooperation across Military, Industrial, Cyber, and Defence and Security policy.
Ukraine
Germany and the UK unequivocally condemn Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and stand together by Ukraine’s side. Our common goal remains to ensure that Ukraine prevails against Russia’s aggression. We do not seek confrontation with Russia.
We are the two largest European providers of military support for Ukraine. Together we are committed to continuing our unwavering support to Ukraine for as long as it takes in order to help Ukraine to defend itself.
Germany and the UK were two of the first countries to sign long-term bilateral security agreements with Ukraine, delivering on the commitment of G7 and further partners made in Vilnius.
Our support is designed for the long term and based on Ukraine’s urgent as well as long term needs in the fields of security and resilience. We advocate for a discussion with the aim of agreeing among Allies and Partners on the level of military support to Ukraine in relation to respective economic strength.
We welcome the decisions by the US Congress to support Ukraine with over $60bn in additional assistance in 2024.
The focus of our immediate support lies on air defence, drones, artillery, ammunition, fortifications and training. Today we have agreed on coordinating and intensifying our efforts and evaluating potential for joint projects including respective training. In particular, we will cooperate on our support of Ukrainian helicopters, including armament, maintenance and training.
The UK and Germany will work together to maximize the effect of the Immediate Action on Air Defence initiative and the International Fund for Ukraine. We will seek to increase joint ventures and investment in defence maintenance and production to further strengthen Ukraine’s military industrial base.
We are committed to working together and through the G7 to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy and other sectors, enforcing sanctions, tackling sanctions evasion and exploring options by which immobilized Russian sovereign assets could be made use of to support Ukraine, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law.
Energy Security
The UK and Germany have led the way on divesting Europe from Russian hydrocarbons and in developing alternative sources of supply.
Germany and the UK are close partners in fostering the energy transition, industry and transport decarbonisation, renewable energy, and hydrogen development, in particular from renewable sources. Building on our energy and climate partnership we have agreed on a feasibility study for H2 exports from the UK to Germany.
We will cooperate to produce renewable energy from the North Sea, including offshore wind and renewable hydrogen and we will take necessary steps to secure our off-shore critical infrastructure. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
Reader Comment: Grant Schapps statement during the statement this morning. Nothing in the library – odd! The right hon. Gentleman says that he welcomes today’s announcement, but then spends all his time explaining—or rather, avoiding explaining—why Labour is not backing 2.5%, which has a schedule, a timescale and figures that have been published and are in the document produced yesterday and laid in the Library. He says, “Judge us by our action, not our words.” We will, because 11 Members of the Opposition Front-Bench team voted against Trident. It is no good for him and the Leader of the Opposition to go up to Barrow and to claim that they are all in favour of the nuclear defence, because they stood on a platform with a leader who wanted to scrap Trident, pull us out of NATO, and turn the army into a peace corps.
Reader Comment: If my maths is correct £3bn of RCH export sales (as stated by Army, MOD and Govt) equates to roughly 500 units at £6m a unit. What madness is this. We are not aware of any export sales lined up other than a few to Ukraine (18) but those are from Germany? Has the Army now joined the post truth cult of politicians and others? I am also hearing and seeing some fairly fairly ‘interesting’ analysis around the £75bn figure!!
BATTLESPACE Comment: Sources suggest that Hanwha/Team Thunder which offed the K9A/1 solution for MFP and BAE systems which offered Archer have been invited for a de-brief as to why MFP was sole-sourced to Rheinmetall after both companies had been issued RfIs to bid MFP. The source also suggested that this decision could sour UK/RoK relations after the summit last year to discuss increased co-operation in defence and other projects. Having speant considerable sums establishing a UK presence over the last four years, will Hanwha exit stage right or wait for a possible Warrior Replacement Requireemnt which was mooted to them four years ago at a reported meeting with the Army at Andover?
24 Apr 24. Sunak announces ‘turning point’ in European security as UK set to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK will increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030.
• On a visit to Poland, the Prime Minister launches plan to steadily increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade – reaching £87 bn a year in 2030.
• Rishi Sunak announces ‘biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation’ to meet the challenge of an increasingly dangerous world.
• Defence to receive an additional £75bn over six years, ensuring the UK remains by far the second largest defence spender in NATO after the US.
• Additional funding will be used to put the UK’s defence industry on a war footing, deliver cutting-edge technology and back Ukraine against Russia.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today [Tuesday April 23] has announced the biggest strengthening of the UK’s national defence in a generation, with a fully funded plan to grow the defence budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
Delivering a speech alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Poland, a country at the vanguard of the continent’s defence, the Prime Minister said we are at a turning point in European security and urged allies to step up.
An axis of autocratic states like Russia, Iran and China are increasingly working together to undermine democracies and reshape the world order. They are also investing heavily in their own militaries and in cyber capabilities and in low-cost technology, like the Shahed attack drones Iran fired towards Israel last weekend.
This poses a direct threat to the lives and livelihoods of people in the UK, as well as across Europe and the wider world. The Government has already committed record investment in defence and the UK armed forces are world-leading – but the Prime Minister has said that we must take further action now to deter these growing threats.
With today’s announcement, UK defence spending will increase immediately and then rise steadily to reach £87bn at the end the decade – hitting 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
The Prime Minister has set out three areas of focus for our bolstered defence budget:
• Firing up the UK defence industrial base: Investing at least an additional £10bn over the next decade on munitions production, delivering high-quality jobs and investment across the UK and ensuring we have rapid production capacity and stockpiles of next-generation munitions.
• Modernising our Armed Forces: Radically reforming defence procurement and creating a new Defence Innovation Agency to ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of modern warfare technology, with at least 5% of the defence budget to be committed to R&D.
• Backing Ukraine’s defence: Ukraine’s security is our security. As part of this plan, the Government will commit an additional £500m this year for the ammunition, air defence and drones Ukraine needs; the largest-ever single delivery of military equipment to Ukraine’s frontlines; and a cast-iron commitment to maintain existing levels of support to Ukraine for as long as it Is needed.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “In a world that is the most dangerous it has been since the end of the Cold War, we cannot be complacent. As our adversaries align, we must do more to defend our country, our interests, and our values. That is why today I have announced the biggest strengthening of our national defence for a generation. We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP by 2030 – a plan that delivers an additional £75bn for defence by the end of the decade and secures our place as by far the largest defence power in Europe.
“Today is a turning point for European security and a landmark moment in the defence of the United Kingdom. It is a generational investment in British security and British prosperity, which makes us safer at home and stronger abroad.”
This is a fully-funded plan to deliver the biggest transformation of our national defence since the Cold War, moving from an aspiration to spend 2.5% by an unspecified date to a costed commitment to do so in 2030.
Defence spending will increase immediately and rise linearly – with a further £500m for Ukraine this year and overall increase of £3 bn in the next financial year. Today’s announcement will see an additional £75 bn for defence over the next six years, with defence spending expected to reach £87bn a year in 2030.
This sets a new standard for other major European NATO economies to follow. If all NATO countries committed at least 2.5% of their GDP to defence, our collective budget would increase by more than £140bn.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “It speaks to Britain’s global role that, with an improving economy, we are able to make this commitment to peace and security in Europe. It also sends the clearest possible message to Putin that as other NATO European countries match this commitment, which they will, he will never be able to outspend countries that believe in freedom and democracy.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “As I argued in my Lancaster House speech earlier this year, we are living in a much more dangerous world. Between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Iran and its proxies seeking to escalate deadly conflict, and China flexing its muscles, there can be no doubt that the era of the peace dividend is clearly over. The mounting threats we face mean we must invest in defence if we are to continue to defend our values, freedoms and prosperity. Today’s announcement marks the single greatest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War, which will support jobs, boost growth, and strengthen our incredible Armed Forces as a modern fighting force.”
The war in Ukraine has taught us that battlefield success is dependent on the ability to surge defence production and move to ‘always on’ production to replenish key equipment. We will therefore invest a further £10bn over the next ten years, most of which will be spent with British industry, to grow our domestic munitions production pipeline and increase stockpiles, setting a clear demand signal for industry through long term multi-year contracts. This represents nearly a doubling of our current spending on munitions production.
The investment will focus on key high-tech capabilities, including air defence missiles and anti-armour munitions, in addition to continued investment in UK-built 155mm artillery ammunition. Defence already supported more than 400,000 jobs in 2021/22 – the equivalent of 1 in every 70 UK jobs – but today’s announcement will support new high-quality jobs and economic growth across all parts of the UK.
Reforms set out by the Prime Minister today will also ensure we are investing in the right technologies and getting more for taxpayers’ money when it comes to defence.
A newly created Defence Innovation Agency will manage scaled up investment in R&D, bringing together the fragmented defence innovation landscape into a single responsible organisation. This includes R&D in new weapons systems such as Directed Energy Weapons or Hypersonic Missiles, as well as space capabilities and other emerging technologies. We will invest in areas that deliver advantage on the modern battlefield and better exploit low-cost solutions, like the inexpensive Unmanned Surface Vehicles seen in Ukraine.
The DragonFire laser weapons system, developed by the MoD in collaboration with UK industry partners, demonstrates how we can accelerate technological development into frontline advantage. Backed by £350 m in government funding, DragonFire can fire at any target visible in the air at around £10 a shot and with an accuracy equivalent to hitting a pound coin from a kilometre away – and the weapon is due to be fitted to Royal Navy ships well ahead of schedule in 2027.
We will also make defence procurement faster, smarter and more joined-up. The new Integrated Procurement Model, launched by the Ministry of Defence in February, will break down individual service silos and bring in checks and balances through a new integrated design authority. The model will see new technologies being used by the armed forces earlier in the process, rather than waiting for a ‘perfect’ product.
Additionally, the Prime Minister has announced plans today to reform the Ministry of Defence’s Head Office to operate as a fully functioning strategic headquarters – holding the front line command accountable for delivery, driving better pan-defence prioritisation and ensuring value-for-money, supported by the National Security Council. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
23 Apr 24. In data: Latvia’s defence budget set for 70% growth by 2028.
Latvia will spend more on its military in the years ahead as the defence budget continues to increase following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Latvia’s defence budget is forecast to grow significantly to nearly $1.7bn by 2028, from $1.0bn in 2023 following a multi-year trend in military spending that has increased since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to GlobalData’s Latvia Defense Market Data 2023-2033, published earlier in 2024, growth in the historic period (2019–23) amounted to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.0%, with the projected spending in the forecast period (2024–2028) producing a CAGR of 10.5%.
A former Soviet state, Latvia has since reorientated firmly towards the West along with the other Baltic countries of Lithuania and Estonia, now being a member of both the European Union and Nato. Latvia shares a border with Russia to the east, and Moscow ally Belarus to the south-east.
Defence procurement in Latvia is limited due to the small size of its armed forces, although it is currently procuring armoured vehicles, tactical trucks, missile defence systems, and helicopters as part of its plan for increased expenditure over the next decade, according to GlobalData.
Nato also maintains a significant presence in all Baltic states under the Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) structure which sees a battlegroup-sized force forward deployed in host countries. As of December 2023, Canada was acting as the framework nation for Nato’s EFP in Latvia, with contributions from Albania, Czechia, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Latvian Army: small, but modernising
Latvia’s land domain capability is centred on 148 CVR-T Spartan-tracked reconnaissance vehicles formerly in service with the British Army, which were provided between 2015 and 2020. In addition, the Latvian Army also operates 41 M109A50 Paladin self-propelled howitzers.
However, modernisation efforts in recent years also led to Latvia starting the Common Armoured Vehicle Systems (CAVS) programme, along with Finland. Other European countries, such as Germany and Sweden, have since joined the CAVS programme.
Additional land domain modernisation efforts have seen hundreds of utility vehicles acquired from companies such as Scania, Polaris, and Bombardier. (Source: army-technology.com)
24 Apr 24. Analysis: UK defence spend hike will have to plug MoD’s fiscal black hole.
More than 22% of UK’s defence spending hike through to 2030 will go in covering shortfalls in existing programmes.
Nearly one-quarter of the newly announced increase in UK defence spending will be required to properly finance existing military procurement programmes, with the UK’s National Audit Office (NAO) stating in December 2023 that forecast costs exceeded the then budget by £16.9bn ($21.5bn).
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated on 23 April during a visit to Poland that UK defence spending will increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 to reach £87bn, which followed a pledge by opposition leader Kier Starmer earlier in April. Current UK defence spending is around 2.3% of GDP.
The political commitments come amid a shifting European security landscape following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the war showing no signs of ending after 26 months of intense fighting.
The UK Government’s pledge will see defence spending “steadily increase” to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, reaching £87bn by 2030. Through this metric, defence would receive an additional £75bn over six years or £12.5bn per year, maintaining the UK’s lead as the largest European defence spender.
Given this, 22.5% of the planned increase in defence spending through to 2030 would have to be used to properly finance UK defence programmes.
See Also:
• In data: Latvia’s defence budget set for 70% growth by 2028
• Q&A: Ivalua discusses supply chain visibility in defence
Delivering a speech alongside Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Poland on 23 April, Sunak said the UK was at a “turning point” in European security, adding that an “axis of autocratic states”, namely Russia, Iran, and China, were seeking to reshape the world order.
In his announcement, Sunak revealed that at least £10bn would be invested over the next decade in munitions production as the UK seeks to replenish stock depleted from donations to Ukraine, turning the country’s industry onto a “war footing”.
A second commitment would be to “modernise” the UK military through the creation of a new Defence Innovation Agency and pledging 5% of the defence budget to research and development programmes.
Finally, Sunak said the UK would spend an additional £500m in 2024 on ammunition, air defence, and drones for Ukraine to aid Kyiv in its fight against Russia, described as the “largest-ever single delivery of military equipment to Ukraine’s frontlines”.
The increase in defence spending would begin “immediately” and “rise linearly”, with an overall increase of £3bn in the next financial year.
The commitment to munitions funding would see the award of multi-year contracts to industry, as well as “continued investment” in UK-built 155mm artillery ammunition. Artillery has proven to be of critical importance even in modern warfare, with the Ukraine-Russia war showcasing the key role that such a capability plays on the battlefield.
UK defence spending increase: do the numbers add up?
At the end of 2023, the UK NAO published its analysis of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Equipment Plan 2023-2033, a document that detailed all major procurement plans over the coming decade.
According to the NAO, the Equipment Plan 2023-2033 exceeded the then budget by £16.9bn, with costs estimated at the end of March 2023 of £305.5bn compared to a budget of £288.6bn. This figure represented a deterioration compared with the previous year’s Plan, for 2022 to 2032, in which the forecast costs were just £2.6bn less than the available budget.
The November 2023 NAO report said that the MoD’s 2023-2033 Plan was unaffordable “because forecast costs have risen by £65.7bn (27%) compared with the previous Plan, outstripping a budget increase of £46.3bn (19%)”.
The UK has committed to large defence modernisation efforts across the domains, such as the Ajax armoured fighting vehicle, Challenger 3 main battle tanks (MBT), Mobile Fires Platform artillery, and Boxer armoured vehicle on land, continued procurement of F-35B stealth fighters in the air domain, and acquisition of new frigates for the Royal Navy.
In 2023, the UK announced that it would cut its planned purchase of five E-7 airborne early warning aircraft to just three airframes, which followed earlier reductions in the number of advanced Type 26 frigates from 13 ships to just eight, with the numbers made up through the acquisition of five smaller warships, which became the Type 31 class.
Additionally, just 148 of 227 Challenger 2 MBTs will be upgraded to the Challenger 3 standard while the UK will retire 26 of its 30 remaining Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoons in 2025 without replacement.
What will the Defence Innovation Agency do?
The UK Government stated that the newly created Defence Innovation Agency (DIA) was to manage scaled-up investment in R&D, bringing together the “fragmented defence innovation landscape” into a single organisation.
This includes R&D in new weapons systems such as directed energy weapons or hypersonic missiles, as well as space capabilities and other emerging technologies, the UK Government said. Among the first programmes the new DIA is to be tasked with overseeing appears to be the integration of the DragonFire laser weapons system into Royal Navy warships by 2027.
With this, existing MoD departments – such as the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) or the Defence Innovation Unit – tasked with operating in the defence innovation space appear to have been dissolved or else brought under the umbrella of the DIA structure.
In 2019, the UK MoD appointed a Director Defence Innovation, tasked with “enabling and embedding innovation across Defence”.
At the time, the new Director Defence Innovation, Clare Cameron, said: “The job is fundamentally a Business Change role; changing current cultural behaviours across the MoD and enabling everyone to engage in innovation and to be open to great ideas and to follow through on them.”
In 2022, Cameron joined Ploughshare, a company wholly owned by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, which has access to a wide range of technologies developed by leading scientists and engineers at the Ministry of Defence and wider government, the UK Government announced at the time.
The UK MoD, through DASA, provides small and medium enterprises active in the defence sector with Defence Innovation Loans of up to £2m, a “below-market interest rate” of 7.4% per annum to “help convert your mature defence innovation into a strong business proposition for defence procurement”, according to official data. (Source: army-technology.com)
23 Apr 24. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday to deepen the UK’s defence and security cooperation.
• Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz held talks in Berlin on security, trade and shared issues like illegal migration
• UK and Germany to launch new joint industrial programme to develop artillery systems
• German companies announce investments into the UK of more than £8on
Rishi Sunak will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin today [Wednesday] to deepen our defence and security cooperation.
As an initial step, the UK and Germany will announce plans for a joint endeavour to develop Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm Wheeled Artillery Systems (RCH 155), which will be fitted to Boxer vehicles.
The joint programme is expected to create hundreds of British and German jobs, while equipping our armed forces with battle-winning capabilities for future ground warfare.
It follows the Prime Minister’s visit to Poland on Tuesday, where he held talks with Prime Minister Tusk and the Nato Secretary-General and announced a historic uplift in UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The UK and Germany are European powerhouses. Together, we are stronger – whether that is defending against Russian aggression or driving economic growth and technological advance. Today we are opening a new chapter in our relationship, one that will make us safer and more prosperous. At this dangerous moment for the world, the UK and Germany are standing side by side to preserve security and prosperity at home and across our continent.”
The leaders are also expected to discuss collaboration on energy and renewables, including on the export of green hydrogen from the UK and Germany, and joint efforts to tackle organised immigration crime.
The UK and Germany are the two largest economies in Europe and Germany is our largest trading partner on the continent, with bilateral trade worth £147.7bn last year.
The Prime Minister will meet leading businesses in Berlin to drive further economic cooperation, as German firms announce £8bn worth of new investment today into the UK.
German energy company RWE have confirmed their intention to invest more than €8bn (£6.9bn) in the UK by the end of this decade, and E.ON energy will be investing £1bn in the UK over the next 5 years to help drive the green energy transition.
RWE CEO Dr Markus Krebber said: “The UK has been one of RWE’s most important core markets for decades. We are committed to continuing to contribute to the UK’s ambitious renewable energy and decarbonisation targets. We intend to invest a further €8bn in the UK by the end of this decade into commercially viable projects.”
Uniper, another leading German energy company, has also committed to invest a further €8bn in green transformation projects in its main markets in Germany and the UK through 2030, including in gas-fired power plants, solar and wind parks, energy storage systems, and hydrogen production units. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
BATTLESPACE Comment: Firstly, this is a first in that it combines a defence announcement with a Green initiative! However, it is now clear why the Hanwha-led Team Thunder has been meeting resistance of late to its proposal to sell K9A1 tracked howitzers to the UK. Clearly the Boxer RCH155 argument has won over the Prime Minister. This agreement will provide extra funds to develop the RCH155 to a production variant, built in the UK for the MFP Requirement. However, wheeled 155 systems have been found wanting in the mud and snow of Ukraine, as well as limitations to upgrade to 56 calibre. The next question is funding, at present there is no funding for the RCH155 variant as it is not on the Boxer OCCAR list of Boxer variants. With the existing Boxer Programme already running late, it will be some time before we see an RCH 155 in the UK artillery inventory. Hanwha should set out a detailed presentation to provide in-country build and support for K9A1 and any future variants together with the suite of advanced ammunition developed by Hanwha in RoK.
23 Apr 24. Sunak’s defence speech in Warsaw. Sunak’s defence speech in Warsaw. My first duty as Prime Minister is the security of the British people.
And fulfilling that profound responsibility is only possible because of you.
Just ten days ago, I gave the order for the RAF to join an international effort…
…intercepting a barrage of Iranian missiles headed towards Israel.
Those pilots, like you, and like every generation of British service men and women before you…
…were willing to put their own safety over the line…
…for the security of others and the defence of our liberties and our values.
From your Regiment’s service in Iraq and Afghanistan…
…to your current role here in Poland, protecting NATO’s eastern flank…
…you have made those sacrifices in the service of our country.
I am truly humbled by your courage and professionalism.
And on behalf of a proud and grateful nation, let me simply say: thank you.
But I haven’t just brought you together today to express my gratitude.
I want to talk to you about how we equip you to do your duty…
…in an increasingly dangerous world.
We have entered a period of history in which competition between countries has sharpened profoundly.
An axis of authoritarian states with different values to ours…
…like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China…
…are increasingly assertive.
The danger they pose is not new.
But what is new is that these countries – or their proxies…
…are causing more instability, more quickly, in more places at once.
And they’re increasingly acting together…
…making common cause in an attempt to reshape the world order.
Now I know there are some people who will think these are faraway problems.
But they are not.
They pose real risks to the United Kingdom’s security and prosperity.
Russia has already poisoned people on British soil with chemical weapons.
Caused energy bills to soar.
Weaponised migration.
And sent technology to Iran in exchange for weapons, like the Shaheed drones…
…that I saw myself are wreaking such devastation on Ukraine.
Iran themselves have threatened to kill and kidnap people within our borders for exercising their right to free speech.
And used proxies like the Houthis, to attack British ships in the Red Sea…
…disrupting supplies of crucial goods to our high streets.
North Korea, too, is supplying munitions and artillery to Russia…
…and their hackers have targeted British businesses and the NHS.
And Chinese state-affiliated actors have conducted malicious cyber campaigns…
…against British MPs.
China itself is engaged in a huge military modernisation programme.
Potential flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific…
…could have an impact on the global economy far larger even than Covid.
And China is increasingly working with others to try and reshape the world…
…including their so-called ‘unlimited partnership’ with Russia.
So the new assertiveness of these authoritarian states far from our shores must concern us.
Because they are increasingly acting together…
…against the fundamental values that we all hold dear…
…of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.
Now, we must not overstate the danger.
We’re not on the brink of war.
And nor do we seek it.
And people should feel reassured…
…that the UK’s armed forces are some of the most professional…
…well-trained, well-equipped, and battle-ready in the world.
And I’m incredibly proud of all they’ve achieved.
From patrolling the Arctic Circle as part of the Joint Expeditionary Force…
…to the campaign against Daesh in the deserts of Iraq and Syria.
From protecting the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea…
…to policing the skies above Eastern Europe.
And just look at the investments we’ve made in the last decade.
£40bn in the British Army…
…who proudly provide one of NATO’s strategic reserves…
…with 16,000 troops deployed to Europe this year.
The Royal Air Force, equipped with new Typhoons, Chinooks, F35s…
…with the GCAP programme delivering new fighter jets with Japan and Italy.
The Royal Navy is a carrier navy once again…
…with 22 new ships and submarines on the way…
…and the historic AUKUS partnership building the most advanced nuclear-powered subs the world has ever known.
And we’ve launched a new national endeavour to invigorate and invest more in our nuclear deterrent.
And all of this is combined with our outstanding diplomatic network…
…development expertise, law enforcement and intelligence agencies…
…and our support for allies – above all the £12bn we’ve provided to Ukraine.
So I’m proud of our record on defence.
And confident in our ability to deter our adversaries.
…and ensure the security of the United Kingdom.
But in a world that’s the most dangerous…
…it’s been since the end of the Cold War…
…we cannot – and must not – be complacent.
As Churchill said, in 1934:
“To urge the preparation of defence is not to assert the imminence of war.
On the contrary, if war were imminent…
…preparations for defence would be too late.”
I believe we must do more…
…to defend our country, our interests, and our values.
So today, I’m announcing…
…the biggest strengthening of our national defence for a generation.
We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP, by 2030.
That starts today.
And rises steadily in each and every year.
Over the next six years, we’ll invest an additional £75bn in our defence.
And it will be fully funded with no increase in borrowing or debt.
So this is not some vague aspiration for the future.
We have a clear plan for what we’ll spend, when we’ll spend it, and how we pay for it.
A plan that makes the United Kingdom by far the largest defence power in Europe – and second largest in NATO.
Today is a landmark moment in the defence of the United Kingdom.
This is a generational investment in British security and British prosperity.
It makes us safer at home and stronger abroad.
Now we have three immediate priorities for this new investment.
First, we will put the UK’s own defence industry on a war footing.
One of the central lessons of the war in Ukraine…
…is that we need deeper stockpiles of munitions…
…and for industry to be able to replenish them more quickly.
So today, we’re giving £10bn in munitions to give industry long-term funding certainty…
…backed by long-term contracts…
…so they can produce more, be readier to surge capacity…
…and move to ‘always on’ production, when required.
From surface-to-air-missiles made in Bolton…
…to anti-tank weapons in Belfast…
…we will replenish our stockpiles…
…all while supporting British jobs right across the Union.
But it’s not just about investing more – we must invest better.
For too long, too much of our defence procurement…
…has been over-complex, over-budget, and over-time.
So we are making radical reforms to our procurement model…
…to make sure this new investment delivers value for money.
And to encourage private sector investment into defence production…
…I can also announce today that we’re going to put beyond doubt that defence investment…
…does count towards environmental, social and governance assessments.
There is nothing more ethical than defending our way of life from those who threaten it.
Now all of this will put us at the forefront of the global defence industry…
…allow us to hugely ramp up defence production…
…and give our armed forces the capability they need to keep us safe.
But as in so many areas of our lives, technology is changing the face of war.
So our second immediate priority is innovation and new technology.
We need to innovate and adapt faster than our adversaries…
…in space and cyberspace just as much as land, sea, and air.
Look at Ukraine.
Many aspects of the war would be familiar to a soldier from WWI or II
Yet others would be unimaginably different.
Like the fact that cheap, high-tech, autonomous drones could disable large parts of Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
The good news is that innovation is already one of our greatest strengths.
The UK’s own Dragonfire laser directed energy weapon…
…costs only £10 a shot…
…yet is accurate enough to hit a £1 coin from a kilometre away.
And today we’re going further.
We will increase defence R&D to at minimum to 5% of the defence budget.
Invest far more in autonomous drones.
And we will set up a new Defence Innovation Agency.
So that for the first time, decisions about defence innovation…
…will be brought together in a single, strategic agency…
…that will be freed from red tape …
…and work with the private sector on emerging new technologies.
Now third, we must support Ukraine for the long term.
Since the Cold War ended, the freedom of our continent has been based on a simple idea:
That it is for people to decide the fate of their countries, not foreign armies.
But allow Putin to win in Ukraine…
…and that principle of sovereignty would be undermined.
We would be dragged back to a world…
…where brute force, rather than the democratic will of free peoples…
…would shape borders and decide futures.
And Putin will not stop in Ukraine.
Win there, and he – and indeed others – will be emboldened.
He has the desire, if not yet the capacity, to attack other countries in Europe…
…potentially including NATO allies, who we would be bound to defend…
…just as they are bound to defend us.
The costs of failing to support Ukraine now will be far greater than the costs of repelling Putin.
Because only if he fails will he and other adversaries be deterred.
That is why the United Kingdom…
…whose history of standing up to dictators is so much part of our national consciousness…
…has come together with our allies to stand with Ukraine from the very start.
Today we will go further.
We will send Ukraine an additional half a bn pounds , hitting £3 bn of support this year.
And we’ll provide them with largest-ever package of UK military equipment.
This will include more than 400 vehicles…
…4m rounds of ammunition…
…60 boats and offshore raiding craft…
…vital air defences…
…and long-range precision-guided Storm Shadow missiles.
And as we make our historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP…
…we’ll move past this stop-start, piecemeal way of backing Ukraine…
…so that alongside our long-term security guarantee…
…we are today providing a long-term funding guarantee…
…of at least the current level of military support to Ukraine, for every year it is needed.
That is the longest commitment any nation has provided.
And it shows that Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone.
A decade ago, as Russian tanks rolled into Crimea…
…and the fight against ISIL raged across the Middle East…
…NATO allies came together in Wales, and reached an historic agreement…
…to increase their defence budgets to 2% of GDP.
Back then, the UK was one of only 4 countries who did so.
Today, there are 11.
And I believe we will look back on this moment…
…as a similar turning point in European security.
Because for all that we welcome the news over the weekend…
…that the US Congress agreed a new package of aid for Ukraine…
…support that will be indispensable on the frontline…
…this is not the moment for complacency.
We cannot keep expecting America to pay any price or bear any burden…
…if we ourselves are unwilling to make greater sacrifices for our own security.
So I’m proud that the United Kingdom is increasing our defence spending to £87bn a year…
…the biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation…
…guaranteeing our position as the second largest defence power in NATO, after the US.
All across Europe…
…countries like Poland, Germany, Norway and the Baltic nations…
…are stepping up to take greater responsibility for our own security.
And I’m confident that whether in months or years…
…others will follow, too.
And at this turning point in European security, if 2.5% becomes a new benchmark for all NATO partners to reach…
…allied defence spending would increase by over £140 bn.
That would provide a level of safety and security for the British people…
…and the peoples of all allied nations…
…that far outstrips anything we could achieve alone.
To conclude, we did not choose this moment. But it falls to us to meet it.
In a world of increasing threats, we must show our enemies that we are resolute and determined.
That their attempts to destabilise our world or redraw its borders by force will fail.
That with our friends and allies, we will be at the forefront of the defence of the free, democratic world.
And under my leadership, the United Kingdom will always stand up for our interests…
…deter our enemies, and defend our values.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
23 Apr 24. UK aid package to Ukraine. UK announces largest-ever military aid package to Ukraine on visit to Poland.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce the largest-ever military aid package to Ukraine on his visit to Poland.
• PM to travel to Poland and Germany to cement security, trade and diplomatic ties with key European allies
• He is expected to announce a £500m boost for Ukraine and largest-ever provision of vital munitions, including some 400 vehicles, 1,600 munitions and 4 m rounds of ammunition
• PM to discuss the threat from Russia and UK efforts to support European security with Prime Minister Tusk and the Nato Secretary-General in Warsaw
The Prime Minister travelled to Poland today [Tuesday 23 April] to announce a massive uplift in military support for Ukraine, including £500m in additional military funding and our largest-ever delivery of vital equipment.
He will meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to discuss deepening UK-Poland relations, and the leaders will hold talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Warsaw on European security and support to Ukraine. The Prime Minister will then travel on to Germany to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.
Ukraine is facing an existential threat as Russia continues its barbaric invasion, risking the security and stability of all of Europe.
The £500m additional funding announced today – which takes us to £3bn in UK military aid for Ukraine this financial year – will be used to rapidly deliver urgently-needed ammunition, air defence, drones and engineering support. The drones will be procured in the UK and the funds will support a scale-up in domestic defence supply chains.
The Ministry of Defence will also send our largest-ever single package of equipment from the UK, designed to help push back the Russian invasion on land, sea and air. It includes:
• 60 boats including offshore raiding craft, rigid raiding craft and dive boats as well as maritime guns
• More than 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, as well as additional Storm Shadow long-range precision-guided missiles.
• More than 400 vehicles, including 160 protected mobility ‘Husky’ vehicles, 162 armoured vehicles and 78 all-terrain vehicles.
• Nearly 4m rounds of small arms ammunition.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Defending Ukraine against Russia’s brutal ambitions is vital for our security and for all of Europe. If Putin is allowed to succeed in this war of aggression, he will not stop at the Polish border. I am in Warsaw today to deepen ties with our Polish partners and commit critical new military support for Ukraine’s defence. Ukraine’s armed forces continue to fight bravely, but they need our support – and they need it now. Today’s package will help ensure Ukraine has what they need to take the fight to Russia. The United Kingdom will always play its part at the forefront of European security, defending our national interest and standing by our Nato allies.”
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This record package of military aid will give President Zelenskyy and his brave nation more of the kit they need to kick Putin out and restore peace and stability in Europe. The UK was the first to provide NLAW missiles, the first to give modern tanks and the first to send long-range missiles. Now, we are going even further. We will never let the world forget the existential battle Ukraine is fighting, and with our enduring support, they will win.”
In his first in-person meeting with new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister will also seek to deepen UK-Poland ties across a range of issues.
Building on existing strong defence and security cooperation, he will offer to deploy an RAF Typhoon Squadron to carry out Nato Air Policing over Poland next year.
To further boost trade and support UK companies looking to invest in Poland, the Prime Minister will also announce today an intention to triple UK Export Finance funding available for Poland from £5 bn to £15bn – our most generous offer to a partner country to date.
Bilateral trade between the UK and Poland has doubled in the last decade to reach £30.6bn, with 45m bottles of Scotch whisky bought in Poland last year and UK firms bidding for £5bn worth of Polish opportunities across energy, defence, healthcare, and infrastructure. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
23 Apr 24. Recent parliamentary scrutiny has brought to light the operational readiness of the Royal Navy’s fleet of Type 23 frigates.
The response to the Parliamentary Written Question, specifically concerning the status of each frigate, reveals a mixed state of availability within the fleet.
On April 12, 2024, Luke Pollard, Labour (Co-op) MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, posed a question regarding the operational status of each of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates. The answer, provided by James Cartlidge MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, was delivered on April 22, 2024. It detailed the availability of the frigates, specifying that five were operational while the others were undergoing refits.
The answer came to light via the following response to a Parliamentary Written Question.
Luke Pollard MP (Labour (Co-op) – Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) asked:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the operational status is of each of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates as of 12 April 2024.”
James Cartlidge MP (Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)) responded:
“As of 12 April 2024, five Type 23 Frigates were available. The remaining six were in various stages of refit and therefore were not available for operations.”
While more than half of the vessels are currently non-operational due to refits, this period of maintenance is vital for ensuring their long-term functionality and readiness for future deployments. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
20 Apr 24. What could be happening to NATO? As it reaches its 75th Birthday NATO is in a state of flux. It has failed to deter Russian aggression such that there is a war in Europe. Not only has the deterrence failed but also there is a risk that the ‘whatever it takes’ support the alliance has offered to Ukraine may not be sufficient to prevent Russia prevailing, and therefore increasing the threat of an attack on NATO territory. In a speech on 9 April 2024 Josep Borrell who has the magnificent title of European Union (EU) High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:
“War is certainly looming around us. A high-intensity, conventional war in Europe is no longer a fantasy.”¹
In addition the USA, has settled on new priorities. It is pivoting towards China and may elect for a second term a President who is anti NATO, to the extent that under a Republican President the USA may no longer respond to a call for assistance from a European nation under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. In any event after decades under the military protection of the USA, an arrangement that it must be said the USA encouraged for some time, it is clear that Europe is faced with the colossal task of building military capability that is sufficient to deter Russia and its allies. Given the lack of attention to defence since the end of the Cold War this is a long and expensive journey. However this does not mitigate the urgency of the task. The urgency grows the closer to Russia you happen to be. (Source: Paul Hough/Alterius Rei)
21 Apr 24. Europe needs to be careful not to become “too protectionist” as it seeks to build up its defence industrial base in the wake of the war in Ukraine, one of the region’s biggest arms makers has warned. Micael Johansson, chief executive of Sweden’s Saab and vice-president of ASD, the European industry trade body, said it was important to allow companies from third countries to play a role on certain conditions. “We can’t become too protectionist — it can’t become ‘everything has to be done by European-owned and controlled companies’,” he told the Financial Times in Brussels. “We must be able to look at foreign-owned companies as local and . . . they must be able to be involved in the defence capabilities development of Europe,” he said. Johansson’s comments come as EU member states debate proposals from Brussels for the bloc’s first-ever defence industrial strategy. The initiative encourages everything from joint procurements to prioritising EU-based defence companies over non-EU suppliers. It has set a target for at least 50 per cent of its procurement by budget to come from European defence suppliers by 2030. Policymakers are keen to reverse the long-standing practice of countries purchasing US-made equipment. Many have pointed to the fact that over the past two years, just as spending has surged in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 78 per cent of defence equipment acquired by EU member states was sourced outside of the bloc. The initiative, however, has sparked concerns among some EU capitals and industry executives that it could become too restrictive and risk excluding important defence capabilities. Executives said the focus right now should be on expanding the industry’s capacity to produce as well as on investing. Countries, including Sweden — which has deep and long-standing ties to the UK defence industry — Germany and Poland, are lobbying the European Commission not to hew too closely to the position advocated by France and others that the strategy should seek to promote only EU companies. “The debate is about whether it is restrictive regarding non-EU states like the UK, US and Turkey . . . or actively encourages them to take part under certain conditions,” said one official involved in the negotiations. Johansson said the strategy should not just consider the ownership of a technology but also “what kind of controls do we have over the content, the capabilities”. Policymakers, he added, should look at whether the so-called design authority — the company or organisation able to modify and evolve the design of a product and its capabilities — is in the region. “You nurture the capability in Europe even though maybe the mother company also benefits from that . . . on the other side of the Atlantic,” he said. “That doesn’t bother me that much.” His comments echo those of Eric Beranger, chief executive of Europe’s missile defence champion MBDA, who recently told the FT the UK in particular should be considered part of “geographical Europe”. Industry executives said there was some concern among UK companies they might be excluded after Brexit. Kevin Craven, chief executive of ADS, the UK industry trade body, told a conference in Brussels last week that Britain was still “geographically and culturally part of Europe”. Europe, he added, “is stronger with the industrial capability of the UK”. But Timo Pesonen, director-general for the defence industry at the European Commission, stressed that British companies would be treated like others from third countries. Initiatives such as the European defence fund, he told the conference, were open for non-EU companies under certain conditions as long as they “operate on European soil”. (Source: FT.com)
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