Latest news with #BritishMilitary
Telegraph
a day ago
- General
- Telegraph
RAF chief to be named as new head of Armed Forces
Sir Richard Knighton will be announced as the next Chief of the Defence Staff, The Telegraph understands. The current Chief of the Air Staff was interviewed alongside General Sir Roly Walker, the head of the Army, to become the new professional head of the British military. The Telegraph understands that the Prime Minister has selected Sir Richard to become the new Chief of the Defence Staff when Admiral Sir Tony Radakin stands down in the autumn. It is understood that Sir Roly, who has only been Chief of the General Staff for a year, 'interviewed well' but was not considered to have served in the role long enough to be promoted to the top chief position. Sir Richard, who as a non-pilot made history as the first engineer to hold the top job within the RAF, will take over as Chief of the Defence Staff later in the year. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'This is speculation. The appointment process is ongoing and any announcement will be made in the usual way.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UK wants nuclear-armed US fighter jets to counter Russian threat, Times reports
The U.K. is looking to revamp its defense capabilities and on the wish list of new weapons are U.S.-made fighter jets capable of launching tactical nuclear weapons to, in part, counter the threat from Russia, the Sunday Times reported on June 1. The British military has a substantial nuclear arsenal, but after decommissioning a number of platforms at the end of the Cold War, can today only launch such weapons from its submarines. According to the Sunday Times, the new air fleet will form a key part of the UK's strategic defense review, set to go public on June 2. The military is looking at F-35A Lightning stealth fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin, the report says. The review is largely in response to the increasing risk of state-on-state warfare, specifically the threat of a Russian attack. In other line items from the pending review, the U.K. government is asking for £6 billion ($8 billion) for more ammunition, to be manufactured in six new factories, as well as a boost in the number of the navy's fleet of destroyers and frigates from 14 to 25. The U.K. government will also consider a new missile defense shield capable of protecting against prospective ballistic attacks. The broad plan is to boost British defense spending to 3% of GDP. But the projected timeframe for that boost is between now and 2034. Post-Cold War plans for increasing defense spending in Europe have historically sunk amid murky deadlines and administration handoffs. Read also: As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine's Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Children to be taught value of military at school
Children are to be taught the value of the British military in school, The Telegraph can reveal. A key recommendation within the strategic defence review, which will be published on Monday, will state that school pupils should be educated on the importance of the Armed Forces. The Telegraph understands that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will look to work with the education sector so that the military can forge closer links with young people. It is understood that lessons about the military will be designed to help young people learn about career opportunities within defence. In recent years the MoD has suffered from a recruitment and retention crisis across all three forces. Officials hope that educating young people about opportunities within defence will go some way to boosting recruitment, particularly as fewer people are growing up with personal connections to the Armed Forces. A military source told The Telegraph: 'This is about making sure as a society we are more connected with the Armed Forces and the importance of the role they play. In a world where things are growing more insecure, there are fewer people with connections to the military than there were in the post-war generation, meaning many people grow up without a connection to the Armed Forces today. As that wartime generation leaves us, we need to keep the message and spirit of what they fought for alive.' They added: 'Learning the history of what happened before is important, but it's also about seeing what people do now to keep us safe, while providing young people with an opportunity for careers within the military.' Under the plans, reservists could be encouraged to travel around schools to do a 'show and tell' about what it means to work in the Army, Navy or Air Force. Although the review does not suggest that formal lessons on the military should form part of the curriculum, it is thought that they could be taught through PSHE lessons, where pupils are taught about personal, social, health and economic issues. Not only will they be taught about what it is like to serve in the three forces, but also about other opportunities within defence, such as science, technology and engineering. The initiative has been likened to how police officers visit schools to explain what they do, which potentially leads to pupils considering associated careers. While the initiative is in the early planning stages, the hope is that it can be rolled out at a comprehensive national level from primary through to secondary education. Defence sources stressed that the MoD would look to work 'collaboratively' with schools to factor it in a way that works for both sides, without adding excessive workload onto teachers. It comes after John Healey, the Defence Secretary, announced that the military would spend £1 billion on artificial intelligence and a hacking attack team to take on Russia in cyberspace. The offensive operations will be conducted through a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command, which he said on Wednesday would set 'new standards' in defence. The role that cyber and space will play in the future battlespace will be a key feature of the strategic defence review, which was launched under Labour to set the pace for defence over the next decade. In recent years the MoD has been actively recruiting more people with digital skills, such as computer coders and data engineers, in order to have people with skill sets that apply to cyber and space. The upcoming publication will also reflect how to make the subject of defence a 'whole society' issue, with an acknowledgement that many European nations have a better engagement with young people and the military than the UK.
