The Defence industry briefing
The month in defence in news, views and numbers
In numbers
$49.6bn
India's defence budget for 2021-2022, which includes $18.5bn for weapons procurement
2022
The UK's replacement for the Trident submarines is delayed by one year, with a new delivery date of March 2022 for the current phase
£30m
Funding announced for the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft, an uncrewed combat aircraft in development for the UK
€2.5bn
Value of a deal between Greece and France for 18 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for the Hellenic Air Force
60-70
The minimum viable fleet size of F-35s needed for the UK, according to RUSI research fellow Justin Bronk
From our sites
Covid pandemic demonstrates effects of ignoring warnings: WEF report
The Covid-19 pandemic came about as a result of ignoring long-term risks and is now an immediate global risk, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report. Climate change, state collapse and weapons of mass destruction remain a long-term threat.
UK MOD civilian head casts doubt on 138 F-35 fleet numbers
Delivering evidence to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Sir Stephen Lovegrove suggested that the UK’s eventual fleet of F-35s would be lower than the 138 called for in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
ULA launches spy satellite
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has launched a satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, a US Government agency tasked with managing spy satellites.
US, Russia agree to New START extension
The US and Russia have agreed to extend the New START Treaty for five years just days before it was due to expire, safeguarding limits on the two countries’ nuclear arsenals until 2026.
In quotes
Credit: MOD
The threats that we face, the relentless growth of commercial shipping volumes, climate change opening up new trade routes, the need to influence, protect our values and where necessary compete, all of these once again are focused on the world’s oceans.
First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin on the future of naval operations, talking at the Surface Warships conference
The threat in space is becoming much more effective and whilst we do a lot in space from a UK defence perspective, our efforts are spread across the services in penny packets of activity. We needed to put new structures in place to provide better coherence.
Director Space Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth explains the reason behind the creation of the UK Space Command
On TWitter
In Pictures
Selected winners from the British Army's Film and Photographic Competition 2020
Exhausted soldiers and officers sleep in place on a Polish helicopter on Operation Cabrit. Junior soldiers from across NATO's Battlegroup Poland had just completed an intense and arduous Potential Non-Commissioned Officer Cadre in Drawsko Pomorski, Poland. Photographer: Captain Sam Davies © MoD Crown Copyright 2021
An Officer Cadets during Exercise Dynamic Victory, a 44 week course that sees young men and women transform from civilian to motivated, focused young officers at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley. Photographer: Bombardier Murray Kerr © MoD Crown Copyright 2021
A serving soldier trains at the 16 Muay Thai Boxing Gym. Photographer: Corporal Danny Houghton © MoD Crown Copyright 2021
A Warrior infantry fighting vehicle of 5 Rifles storms over a river crossing on Salisbury Plain during Exercise Tallinn Dawn. The exercise tested troops ahead of their deployment to Estonia as part of NATO’s enhanced forward presence in the region. Photographer: Lance Sergeant Steve Duncombe © MoD Crown Copyright 2021
Troops play volleyball in Kabul whilst deployed on Operation Toral. Photographer: Major Mike Thwaite © MoD Crown Copyright 2021
The British Army has sent almost 2,000 troops to Liverpool to help with the mass testing of residents for Covid-19. Image: Crown Copyright / MOD