Latest news with #MinistryOfDefence
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Anti-drone lasers will be fitted to military vehicles to protect the UK from swarm attacks by terror groups or hostile nations
Laser weapons capable of shooting down drones will be fitted to military vehicles to help protect the UK from swarm attacks by terror groups or hostile nations, The Mail On Sunday can reveal. Defence experts have said the laser-armed vehicles could guard airfields, sensitive locations such as GCHQ and other areas of critical national infrastructure. Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and reconnaissance vehicles will be equipped with the lasers, which are designed to blast drones out of the sky from more than half a mile. Details of the laser plans emerged as Britain begins ramping up its defence spending to counter threats from Russia and China. After criticism from US President Donald Trump, the UK aims to spend 4.1 per cent of its GDP on defence by 2027, and 5 per cent by 2035. At a Nato summit last week, Sir Keir Starmer said increased defence spending was vital to counter threats at home and abroad. The lasers, known as direct energy weapons, fire an intense beam of infrared light, causing a target to heat up and explode. They will be equipped with sensors capable of tracking drones to ensure the weapon remains locked-on to its target. Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and reconnaissance vehicles will be equipped with the lasers, which are designed to blast drones out of the sky from more than half a mile Unlike conventional weapons, they strike at the speed of light and are virtually limitless in terms of ammunition. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defence announced that it would invest £1 billion in lasers. Details of the laser plan have been revealed by the MoD in a 'preliminary market engagement notice' to defence companies. The document, seen by The Mail on Sunday, said the MoD was seeking a 'laser direct energy weapon to destroy small unmanned air systems (drones) at ranges of 1km-plus'. It adds that 'availability to deliver within 12 months ideally' will be required. Defence firms will have to demonstrate the capability of their systems as they bid for the £20 million contract. Earlier this month, the MoD also revealed plans to develop a fleet of drones capable of being launched from Transit vans. Col Philip Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer, said the lasers were vital for national security and 'can't come quickly enough'. The MoD said the laser weapons will be 'created this decade', adding: 'Following the successful trial of a high-energy laser mounted to a Wolfhound armoured vehicle, we are engaging the market to help inform decisions on procurement.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Sun
We live in town building Britain's NUKES where mysterious ‘explosions' go off – we fear we're targets for war on UK soil
TERRIFIED villagers living in the shadow of Britain's top-secret nuclear weapons site say they feel like 'sitting ducks'. Residents in the sleepy village of Aldermaston, Berkshire, have spoken of their fear after hearing "mysterious explosions" from the neighbouring nuclear weapons facility AWE. 16 16 16 Living next to the Automatic Weapons Establishment - where the UK's most powerful bombs are designed - feels like being "on the front line", according to locals. They say their village would be targeted in the event of a nuclear or terrorist attack and have called on the Ministry of Defence to provide them with greater protection. The Sun can exclusively reveal that the state-owned site has agreed to launch a new emergency text alert system after mounting pressure from panicked neighbours. It comes after years of "mystery explosions", blaring sirens, and rumours of hazardous experiments behind the razor-wire fences – just yards from family homes. Business owner Kerry Thomas was one of the first to sign up to the text service that is due to come into operation in the next fortnight. The 45-year-old told The Sun: 'Everyone in the village was sent a letter by AWE telling us they wanted to share more communications with locals residents about what was going on at the site. 'We were invited to join a text service and the plan is that they will keep us posted about anything that is going on there, such as any planned security drills, or unusual events in and around the complex. "I think it is a great idea because it will stop people worrying or speculating every time they hear the sirens going off. "To be fair to AWE, they do seem to want to engage with the local community. 'I know they donate money for public events here in the village and they have hosted regular village hero award ceremonies. 'They have always worked with the village, rather than against it." Kerry admitted the growing global tensions and hostilities raging in the Middle East has made her nervous about hostile forces targeting her home town. Nuclear strikes, secret bunkers for Royals, & massive cyber attacks… how Britain is secretly bracing for war with Russia She said: 'Sure, we are right in the firing line here, but you have got to carry on living your life as best you can. "It was the same when the West was bombing Iraq years ago. 'There was a heightened risk of attack here, but we tried to go out about our lives as normal. 'Despite the extra risk associated with living somewhere like here, it's still a wonderful place to live." Kerry continued: "I have lived with what goes on here all my life, so it's all I know really. "You grow up knowing that if there is ever a nuclear war, we will be among the first to be hit. "We are in the middle of such beautiful countryside, yet really close to Reading and London. "I wouldn't live anywhere else.' She said she understands the need to invest extra billions in our defence capabilities and believes it is "money well spent". She added: "The UK has to keep up-to-date with modern nuclear technology. 16 16 "The way the world is now, it is simply a necessary evil. "We have to be well equipped with the best nuclear weapons in order to protect ourselves. "I wish it wasn't necessary, but in reality it is. "I try not to worry about it anymore and despite what people say about living next to a nuclear site, none of us here glow in the dark.' The government's recently-announced £15bn replacement for Britain's nuclear arsenal is being designed at the site. Earlier this month, Labour's John Healey became the first defence secretary to visit the AWE site since 2018. He told how Labour was making a generational decision to support expensive weapons that he hoped would protect the UK. He said: 'We've got a government recognising that we need to invest now if we're going to be able to maintain our strength of our independent UK nuclear deterrence in the decades to come. Labour's previous leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was heavily opposed to nuclear weapons. Operations have begun to scale up at Aldermaston with the initial phases of work on the new warhead under way. About 1,500 employees have joined AWE in the past year, bringing the total number of workers at the state-owned company to 9,500. Building surveyor Chris Robinson, 65, suggested that the text notifications did not go far enough to safeguard locals. 16 16 He called for the installation of an Israeli style defence shield like the Iron Dome at the 750-acre facility. He said: "I recognise that we need to have a strong nuclear capability because that is the only thing that is going to ensure world peace. "The existence of the concept of mutually assured destruction is ironically what keeps us all safe. "But I would like to see some kind of Iron Dome-style protection for the area because at the moment it feels like we are sitting ducks. "The AWE site would be a prime target for terrorists and we need to be better protected here." He recalled the recent break in at RAF Brize Norton by Palestine Action yobs in the neighbouring county of Oxfordshire as he called for greater measures to be put in place. Chris added: 'You only have to look at the break-in down the road last week to see how easy it is for someone who is determined enough to get into these complexes. 'Can you imagine the damage someone could do if they were to get inside the base at AWE with explosives strapped around them? 'I worry that idiotic leaders like Donald Trump are making the world a less and less safe place. "That kind of reinforces the need for all countries to have the best nuclear bombs because that international nuclear deterrent is what keeps us all safe in the end. 'I've never been inside the base but I hate the look of it from the outside. "It has lots of very ugly buildings. It's a shame they don't screen it a bit better with trees. 16 16 16 'It does feel a bit weird that I'm living right next to a nuclear plant, but I guess it's got to be somewhere." Components for Britain's nuclear warhead – known as Holbrook – are designed, tested and built at Aldermaston. The warheads themselves are largely assembled at the nearby Burghfield site, before being transported by road to Coulport, in Scotland. The assembly process is completed there and the Trident missiles, with their British warheads, are loaded on to submarines at nearby Faslane. Aimee Kirkpatrick, 20, who has lived in the village all her life, told how regular practice drills often send the villagers into a frenzy. She explained: 'Almost every week, sirens will go off at the base. "It's very scary for those of us who live here because we never know if it's a practice drill or the real thing. 'If a nuclear bomb is ever going to be dropped on the UK, and I hope to God it never is, I'd much rather be right underneath it when it lands than die painfully over time from the fall-out. 'I accept we live somewhere that's going to be a prime target, but my life is here so I don't want to move away.' Aimee, who works at a local pub while studying for a marketing degree, said many of her friends from school are now apprentices at AWE. She said: 'They love working there because the company is actually a really good employer. "The pay is good and they're learning interesting stuff. 16 16 16 "One of them is involved in nuclear physics, which must be a pretty cool apprenticeship to be doing.' The new nuclear device, called Astraea, will not be ready for deployment until the 2030s or 2040s. It will be designed at Aldermaston, principally using small test explosions, which are then extrapolated by an onsite supercomputer to simulate a nuclear blast. Its explosive power is not yet known, though independent experts think it will probably be more than the 80-100kt Holbrook, and possibly closer to 475kt, a benchmark set by the most powerful US warhead. For comparison, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which killed between 70,000 and 140,000 people (estimates vary widely), was 15kt. 16
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ex-Tory minister urges Labour to drop repealing of Northern Ireland Legacy Act
The Government should halt any legislation that could lead to prosecutions of British armed forces veterans for their service in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a former Tory cabinet member has said. Sir David Davis said the attempts to put veterans through the legal system for their actions while serving in Northern Ireland was a 'rewriting of history'. He said it could jeopardise the Ministry of Defence's plans to increase recruitment and retention of personnel. The former Brexit secretary said the Government's repealing of the Legacy Act could lead to people being tried for events that happened decades ago. During a debate in the Commons on Armed Forces Day, Sir David said: 'There's a shadow that hangs over our armed forces, a political and legal vendetta targeting the veterans of Northern Ireland of Operation Banner. 'These men answered their country's call at one of our country's darkest hours. 'Without hesitation they stood between the innocent and the terrorists, often literally, often in the way of the bullet, and now, decades later, they're treated not as heroes but as suspects. 'The frankly inadequately informed inquest over the SAS IRA conflict at Clonoe was just once incident in which elderly veterans are being persecuted, and there will be many more.' He added: 'This campaign of persecution sends a chilling message to the next generation. Serve your country, risk your life and face prosecution in your old age. 'Why would any young man or woman sign up for that? The truth is, many will not.' The Government has started the process of repealing the Legacy Act, introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2023, after it was subject to legal action by Troubles' victims families. Part of the Act's measures include shutting down all historical inquests, which examine incidents from the Troubles where suspected IRA members were killed. An inquest this year in Northern Ireland found soldiers' use of force in Clonoe in February 1992, where four IRA terrorists were shot dead, was excessive and no attempts were made to arrest them. The men were killed minutes after they carried out a machine gun attack on a Royal Ulster Constabulary station. Veterans and military charities are concerned that the repeal of the law could allow soldiers to be charged decades after military operations. Sir David was joined in his calls by shadow defence minister Mark Francois, who said it would 'reopen the endless cycle of investigation and re-investigation'. Sir David told the debate that 722 British soldiers were killed during the Troubles. As part of the Good Friday Agreement, about 400 prisoners were released while serving sentences in connection with the activities of paramilitary groups. 'I don't blame the state for that, it was necessary at the time,' he said. 'But today we witness a legal crusade against the men who risked everything in the service of peace. This is not justice. 'It's an attempt to rewrite history. It's prosecution driven by politics, not facts. While the killers walk free, authorities hound soldiers who stop them from killing and treat those soldiers like criminals.' Mr Francois said the Labour Government would find it difficult to justify its policy. He said: 'Many of those surviving veterans are now in their 70s or even their 80s, and I suspect that many Labour MPs opposite would find it extremely difficult to explain to those veterans and their loved ones why they are taking this action, just because their Government is literally obsessed with the Human Rights Act 1998.' Sir David agreed, telling the Commons: 'Our veterans, now in their 70s or even later, deserve peace in their retirement, not a knock on the door and questions about battles that they fought to defend the public half a lifetime ago.' He warned that it could inadvertently lead to soldiers being more reluctant to engage the enemy, or using at-distance munitions. He said: 'I have no doubt that from time to time, mistakes are made, and these of course should be answered for. 'But if we allow our opponents to use lawfare to destroy these capabilities, we are left with blunt instruments. The bomb, the missile, the drone. 'So instead of capturing or killing just the guilty, we kill every innocent civilian on a bus. Or every guest at a wedding party. 'Our military has been brilliant and doing the opposite. At being targeted, lawful and effective.'
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Rajnath Singh to depart for China today, call for joint efforts to eliminate terrorism at SCO meeting
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will today depart for China's Qingdao to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting set to be held from June 25-26. Singh said he is looking forward to presenting India's vision for global peace and security and calling for joint and continuous efforts to eliminate terrorism. In a statement shared on X, Rajnath Singh stated, "Today, 25th June, I shall be leaving for Qingdao, China, to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting. I will have the opportunity to interact with various Defence Ministers on a wide range of issues. Looking forward to present India's vision for global peace and security and also, call for joint and consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism." During the meeting, the leaders are expected to discuss various issues, including regional and international peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts and cooperation among the Ministries of Defence of SCO member states. In a press release, Ministry of Defence stated, "Raksha Mantri is expected to highlight India's continued commitment to the principles and mandate of the SCO, outline India's vision towards achieving greater international peace & security, call for joint & consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism & extremism in the region, and stress on the need for greater trade, economic cooperation and connectivity within SCO. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of some participating countries, including China and Russia, on the sidelines of the meeting." The Ministry of Defence noted that India attaches special importance to the SCO in promoting multilateralism, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region. It further said, "SCO pursues its policy based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of nations, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect, understanding and equality of all member states." SCO is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2001. India became its full member in 2017 and assumed the rotating Chairmanship in 2023. The SCO members include Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus, besides India. China has assumed the Chair of the SCO for 2025 under the theme 'Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move'.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
British jets to carry nuclear warheads
British fighter jets are to carry nuclear warheads for the first time since the Cold War era, after a deal with the US. At a Nato summit in the Hague on Wednesday, the Prime Minister will announce that Britain will buy 12 F-35A fighter planes. Unlike the F-35B jets the UK currently possesses, they can carry nuclear weapons. Sir Keir Starmer said: 'In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my Government is investing in our national security, ensuring our Armed Forces have the equipment they need and communities up and down the country reap the benefits from our defence dividend.' The agreement marks the first time since the retirement of the Tornado in 1998 that the UK will have a plane capable of dropping tactical nuclear weapons on the enemy. The Ministry of Defence said: 'It... reintroduces a nuclear role for the Royal Air Force for the first time since the UK retired its sovereign air-launched nuclear weapons following the end of the Cold War.' The announcement came as Britain's newly published national security strategy warned that for the first time in years, the country must 'actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario'. The report also warned of the 'growing' threat to the UK from nuclear weapons, adding that the 'proliferation of nuclear and disruptive technology' meant the UK needed to adapt its approach to national security.
