UK Defence Journal

At the UK Defence Journal, our mission is to deliver unbiased and thorough coverage of defense issues both in the UK and globally. Our team consists of dedicated volunteers who work without any payment or external funding. We don't operate as a traditional company or business; instead, we are a collective of writers who contribute to the blog whenever they can. The UK Defence Journal remains independent and unaffiliated with any political party or organization, with our contributors representing a diverse range of political views.

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SNP defence stance ‘naive and hypocritical’ warns Sweeney

5 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

Yet that’s precisely where we find ourselves with the Scottish Government’s baffling decision to withdraw support from a state-of-the-art welding facility on the Clyde. This wasn’t some shadowy arms deal or weapons plant buried in a hillside. It was a high-tech training and research centre, led by Rolls-Royce no less, designed to pioneer advanced welding techniques to support submarine construction and shipbuilding.
The age of drone warfare has arrived - is UK industry safe?

5 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

Ukraine launched Operation Spider Web, a coordinated drone strike deep into Russian territory. Dozens of first-person-view drones were activated from mobile truck platforms hidden across Russia, striking five airbases and reportedly destroying over 40 military aircraft. These included Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers, as well as a critical A-50 airborne early warning aircraft. No missiles. No jets. Just small, inexpensive drones launched from within Russia itself.
Royal Navy escort fleet to grow by 78% to 25 ships: report

5 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

The news comes ahead of the government’s strategic defence review, set to be launched on Monday, which outlines plans to restore Britain’s military strength in response to growing global threats. As part of this agenda, the review will reportedly back a resurgence in shipbuilding — a key component of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s aim to place defence at the heart of national economic renewal.
MoD plans huge £2.9bn sensor support contract with Thales UK

5 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

Detailed in a Contract Finder notice titled Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team (M-SET), the proposed contract would cover through-life support, including maintenance, repair, obsolescence management, spares procurement, and safety certification of key equipment.
Ukraine destroys Russian bombers in historic drone raid

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed the strikes destroyed over 40 Russian military aircraft, including strategic bombers and airborne command platforms. According to Ukrainian sources, the operation took 18 months of planning and was personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Drones were covertly transported into Russia in wooden crates disguised as innocuous cargo, then mounted on mobile truck platforms.
UK signals progress on drone sub-hunting fleet for Atlantic

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

Previously reported by the UK Defence Journal, Project CABOT represents the Royal Navy’s long-term effort to digitise anti-submarine warfare (ASW) through uncrewed surface and subsurface platforms. The newly issued Prior Information Notice, published on 30 May 2025, confirms that the first phase of the programme is entering its early procurement stage.
NATO forces test ACE in Nordic highway landing drills

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

NATO forces have demonstrated Agile Combat Employment (ACE) tactics in a series of recent highway landing drills in Finland and Sweden, with aircraft operating from austere locations to simulate operations under contested conditions. The Finnish Air Force’s biannual JPH base operations exercise, held from 26 to 30 May, included over 20 Allied aircraft and nearly 2,000 military personnel.
UK to build six new weapons and factories to re-arm forces

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

This major investment forms a central part of the upcoming Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and reflects a broader effort to rearm the UK for an era of high-tempo conflict and global instability. The SDR, to be published in the coming days, outlines a comprehensive vision to strengthen Britain’s defence industrial base and military readiness.
Britain to buy 7,000 new long-range weapons

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

This unprecedented investment is set to support around 800 jobs and marks one of the largest boosts to the nation’s long-range strike capacity in decades. The procurement forms a central pillar of the SDR’s focus on readiness and deterrence amid growing global instability. Backed by a new £1.5 billion investment in munitions and energetics factories, the initiative will also see the construction of at least six new production facilities across the UK.
UK signals £16.5m plan for deep-water ROV system

6 days ago | ukdefencejournal.org.uk | George Allison

The project is being led by the Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO) team within Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), according to a UK1 pipeline notice published on 20 May 2025. The intended ROV system will be a work-class vehicle capable of operating at depths beyond 4,000 metres. It must be able to perform object manipulation tasks and provide high-resolution imagery in extreme deep-sea environments.