Amongst the focus on the Chinese State visit, The Sun has reported on its front page that Navy veterans are calling for medallic recognition for a rescue mission on the Yangtze in 1949.
Yangtze rescue
The Sun reports on its front page that campaigners claim a decision not to award the crew of HMS Concord medallic recognition for their actions in the Yangtze River in 1949 is because the MOD fears it “will aggravate the Chinese”. The newspaper links this to President Xi Jinping’s current state visit.
Our full response can be seen here.
LGBT recruits
The Financial Times reports on LGBT people in the Armed Forces, following an interview with Lt Gen James Everard Commander Land Forces. The report quotes Lt Gen Everard saying LGBT people make the Army more effective, and how he has called for more homosexual and transgender people to sign up. The article states that while the UK dropped its ban on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people openly serving in 2000, in recent months it has begun to encourage their recruitment as it looks to modernise its culture and maintain its fighting edge.
Anti-drone weapons
The Daily Telegraph reports on yesterday’s Defence Questions stating that Britain faces an "emerging threat" of drone strikes by terrorists, and that the Army could be equipped specifically to defeat such attacks. The article quotes Minister for Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt from Parliament where she said that the defence review is considering how to provide "counter measures" to counter airborne assaults by remotely-piloted aircraft. The report also states experts have warned that unmanned planes could be turned into flying bombs with homemade explosives and could even carry chemical and biological weapons.
British Helicopters
There are claims in The Daily Telegraph and The Independent that the US military contingent in Europe has been forced to borrow British helicopters and conduct training exercises with equipment on loan from other NATO members due to budget cutbacks. The story explains that many of the weapons used for NATO exercises rotate between bases in the US and Europe.
Follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to sign up for email alerts.