Defence issues continue to be at the forefront of today’s media reporting, with a heavy focus on a potential parliamentary vote on military action in Syria, along with this week’s announcement on the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).
ISIL / SYRIA
Several stories make the front pages, but there is a strong focus on tackling ISIL. The Sunday Times says Prime Minister David Cameron is launching a final offensive to win backing for airstrikes over Syria and that they could be carried out in the next fortnight. Mr Cameron is expected to publish a seven-point plan at the end of this week, including a blueprint for Syria’s future.
Likewise the Sunday Telegraph says Britain will join strikes by Christmas. The story claims international talks will take place involving Mr Cameron, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama and Francois Hollande in the coming days. Lord Dannatt, a former Chief of the General Staff, writes in the newspaper that only boots on the ground will succeed and that this is the moment to stop wringing our hands; he also suggests Syrian refugees could join the fight against ISIL. Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox also argues that ground troops should not be ruled out and that there are difficult political and military choices ahead that cannot be avoided. Similar stories are carried on the inside pages of most papers.
The Sunday Express splash says a full-scale offensive in Syria using tanks and infantry would wipe out ISIL in two weeks, according to senior generals. Unnamed British “top Army brass” have made it clear to David Cameron that, in the wake of the Paris attacks, decisive action could rid the world of ISIL, it reports. The Observer leads with security chiefs reportedly issuing a stark private warning to the Government that Britain's counter-terror forces must be significantly boosted if they are to cope with a Paris-style attack.
SDSR
The Sunday Times reports that a £12bn deal will treble the firepower of the UK’s two new aircraft carriers. Chancellor George Osborne is to reveal the acceleration of the F-35 stealth jet programme as the centrepiece of the SDSR, they write. The article details the Government’s plan to purchase 138 of the jets, with an enhanced volume of 24 being available by 2023. The latter point was subsequently confirmed by the Chancellor on this morning’s Andrew Marr Show.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that thousands of combat troops will flood the streets if terrorists launch a Paris-style attack in Britain, under a security plan to be unveiled tomorrow. A huge increase in the number of soldiers on high alert for a rapid response to attacks will form a key part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, they write. The Prime Minister is expected to announce the senhanced defences when he publishes the SDSR alongside the five-year national security strategy in Parliament tomorrow. The Defence Secretary is quoted as promising “bigger and stronger defence for Britain” with “more ships, more planes, and more troops ready to act”, adding: “We’re stepping up the fight against terrorists. That means better equipment for special forces and a clearer plan for the military to support the police in extreme circumstances like the terror attacks in Paris.”
The Mail on Sunday writes that a dozen C-130s that were due to come out of service will have their use extended under SDSR. An SAS source said they are breathing a sigh of relief.
RUSSIAN SUBMARINE
The Sun on Sunday runs a short piece claiming RAF chiefs were forced to borrow a French spy plane to hunt a Russian submarine off the coast of the UK. It says the Atlantique II flew into RAF Lossiemouth two weeks ago and is searching along with HMS Sutherland and a hunter killer submarine. It comes after RAF’s maritime patrol aircraft were scrapped in the last SDSR and all eyes will be on the new review tomorrow, the newspaper reports. A MOD statement is carried in part and the full version is below.
We can confirm that allied maritime patrol aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth for a limited period are conducting activity with the Royal Navy. We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations.
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