Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 30 Jan 2017 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Britain, Turkey sign £100 million warplane deal Press TV 29 Jan 2017 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May has signed a £100 million warplane deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in hopes that the UK will emerge as Turkey's principal military partner.
• Royal Air Force playing major role in world's premier air combat exercise UK MOD 27 Jan 2017 -- The world's premier air combat exercise is underway in Nevada, USA, with the Royal Air Force training alongside US and Australian counterparts.
• British PM May: Trump Confirmed '100 Percent' Support for NATO VOA 27 Jan 2017 -- In his first meeting with a foreign leader, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke of the two nations' "special relationship," and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed, mentioning common economic interests and shared values, but pointedly saying the new president had pledged he is "100 percent" behind NATO.
• UK foreign secretary signals shift in policy on Syrian president Press TV 26 Jan 2017 -- Britain has accepted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should be allowed to run for re-election in the event of a peace deal in Syria, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said, a major shift in British policy which London had pursued since the beginning of the conflict that Assad must go.
• UK and US Strengthen Maritime Aviation Cooperation DoD 25 Jan 2017 -- Minister for Defense Procurement Harriett Baldwin today signed a P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) declaration with her United States counterpart, Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work to further strengthen the uniquely close defense relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.
• UK sends jets, warships to escort Russia's Syria task force Press TV 25 Jan 2017 -- The UK has sent a group of fighter jets and warships to escort a fleet of Russian ships passing through the English Channel.
• UK to Receive First Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft in 2019 Sputnik 25 Jan 2017 -- The Department of Defence reported that US and UK senior defense officials signed a declaration that stipulates the United Kingdom will obtain its first Boeing Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft in 2019.
• UK Ships Escort Russian Carrier Group Returning From Syria Via English Channel Sputnik 25 Jan 2017 -- UK warships and the Royal Air Force (RAF) jets are escorting the Russian Northern Fleet carrier group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier returning from Syria to its base in northern Russia via the English Channel, the UK Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 24 Jan 2017 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• The Road to Brexit Gets Rougher for UK's May VOA 24 Jan 2017 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a setback Tuesday when Britain's supreme court ruled the government needs Parliament's approval to begin the process of leaving the European Union.
• United Kingdom - Continuation of C-17 Logistics Support Services and Equipment DSCA 23 Jan 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of continued C-17 logistics support services, and equipment. The estimated cost is $400 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Readout from Secretary James Mattis' Call with UK State Secretary for Defense Michael Fallon DoD 23 Jan 2017
• Fallon rejects missile misfire towards US, says nuke deterrent is fine Press TV 23 Jan 2017 -- Britain rejects reports that a missile was misfired, possibly towards the United States, during a test of its nuclear weapons last year.
• UK Gov't Confident in Trident Amid Failed Missile Test Revelations - Fallon Sputnik 23 Jan 2017 -- The UK government has absolute confidence in the country's nuclear deterrent, UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said Monday following reports of a Trident submarine-launched fleet ballistic missile veering off course in June.
• Theresa May Knew About Trident Test Failure in June Ahead of Program Renewal Sputnik 23 Jan 2017 -- UK Prime Minister Theresa May was briefed on June's failed Trident nuclear missile system test after assuming office, a Downing Street spokesperson said Monday.
• UK has sold £50 million worth of arms to Turkey since coup Press TV 22 Jan 2017 -- The United Kingdom has sold almost £50 million worth of arms to Turkey since its government clamped down on opposition groups after the failed coup attempt in July 2016.
• Two days before Trump inauguration, UK tests tunnel to France: Report Press TV 22 Jan 2017 -- Britain's military sent tanks down the tunnel linking the country to France to see if the route could be effectively used to send troops to Europe just as Donald Trump was preparing to assume office.
• UK covering up failed nuclear missile test: Report Press TV 22 Jan 2017 -- The government of British Prime Minister Theresa May has been accused of hiding a "disastrous" test firing of a Trident nuclear missile, according to a report.
• British Government Reportedly Covered Up Failed Trident Missile Test RFE/RL 22 Jan 2017 -- The British government suppressed information about a failed nuclear missile test last June, The Times newspaper has reported.
• Shh, Don't Tell Anyone! London in Trouble for Hush-up of Trident Test Gone Wrong Sputnik 22 Jan 2017 -- A scandal is brewing in London following the publication of a story in the Sunday Times revealing that the British government covered up a Trident II D5 missile test gone awry in June, just weeks before a crucial parliamentary vote on the future of the weapons system.
• Shock and Awe: What British Tanks Were Doing Under the English Channel Sputnik 21 Jan 2017 -- British troops conducted secret drills to deliver their five Challenger tanks to France and back through the Channel Tunnel; the goal was to test if the rail network could withstand a theoretical military conflict with Russia, media reports said.
• UK To Expand Support To Ukraine's Armed Forces UK MOD 20 Jan 2017 -- Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said that the United Kingdom stands firmly alongside Ukraine as the British Army prepares to broaden its already extended training package to all of the country's armed forces.
• Will UK's Joint Missile Project With Japan Be More Trouble Than It's Worth? Sputnik 18 Jan 2017 -- Japan and Britain are pushing ahead with the development of a new air-to-air missile in 2017 and the technical feasibility study for the Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) is slated to be completed before the end of this year, Sankei News reported.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 17 Jan 2017-- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Growing Global Ambitions: Japan and UK Developing Stealth Fighter Super-Rocket Sputnik 16 Jan 2017 -- The governments of Japan and the United Kingdom are working to develop modern rocket fighter weapons, in a further indication of the two countries' deepening defense relations.
• Crowsnest helicopter surveillance deal to protect carriers sustains 200 high-skilled UK jobs UK MOD 16 Jan 2017 -- Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin announces £269M deal for Crowsnest system to protect new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.
• UAE, Britain launch joint naval exercises in Persian Gulf Press TV 15 Jan 2017 -- Naval forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Britain have started joint military exercises in the Persian Gulf within the framework of cooperation, coordination and exchange of experiences and military information between the two countries.
• British MPs Demand Trump Dossier Inquiry VOA 13 Jan 2017 -- British lawmakers are demanding an inquiry into what role, if any, British security agencies played in the handling of the controversial Trump intelligence dossier prepared by a former member of the country's secret services.
• UK steps up to take command of NATO task force UK MOD 11 Jan 2017 -- UK forces have taken command of NATO's Response Force and its flagship Very High Readiness Joint Task Force.
• Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon hails importance of UK's defence network UK MOD 10 Jan 2017-- Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has praised the important work of the UK's growing defence network.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 09 Jan 2017 -- The renewed counter-Daesh offensive to liberate Mosul in Iraq, coupled with the advance of forces in Syria, has resulted in a busy period for Royal Air Force aircraft, providing close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activity as part of the coalition air campaign.
• £271M Wildcat Helicopter support deal sustains 500 UK jobs UK MOD 09 Jan 2017-- The MOD has signed a £271M deal with Leonardo Helicopters to continue to support world-leading Wildcat helicopters, protecting hundreds of highly-skilled British jobs.
• 'British spies gave vital tipoff to US about alleged Russia hacking' Press TV 08 Jan 2017 -- British intelligence services reportedly provided a major tip-off to the United States in 2015 about cyber operations to interfere in the November presidential election.
• £410M RAF Atlas aircraft support contract secures at least 400 UK jobs UK MOD 05 Jan 2017 -- The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has negotiated a £410 million contract that will secure at least 400 highly-skilled British jobs and provide in-service support for the UK's Atlas A400M aircraft, securing a key part of the RAF airlift fleet until 2026.
• UK Innovation: Laser Weapon Contract Awarded UK MOD 05 Jan 2017 -- MOD awards £30m contract to produce Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Capability Demonstrator to UK Dragonfire consortium, led by MBDA.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 02 Jan 2017 -- The renewed counter-Daesh offensive to liberate Mosul in Iraq, coupled with the advance of forces in Syria, has resulted in a busy period for Royal Air Force aircraft, providing close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activity as part of the coalition air campaign.
• UK-Boeing spy plane deal at Trump's mercy Press TV 02 Jan 2017 -- The UK government has not yet placed an order for a much publicized spy plane deal with the American aviation and military giant Boeing, a new report states, meaning that the much-needed military aircraft would only be provided upon US President-elect Donald Trump's agreement.
• 2017 is the Year of the Navy UK MOD 01 Jan 2017-- 2017 is set to be the year of the Royal Navy as it prepares to welcome new ships to the fleet, following one of their busiest years since the end of the Cold War.