There is coverage today of the Defence Secretary’s cyber investment announcement and the naming of the UK’s first new submarine.
HMS Dreadnought
The Sun, The Mirror and BBC report that the first of four new UK submarines to carry Trident nuclear missiles will be named Dreadnought. Media report that the Ministry of Defence revealed the name, to coincide with Trafalgar Day, for the first vessel of the £31bn project to replace existing submarines.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
Every day our ballistic missiles submarines are used to deter the most extreme threats to Britain’s security. We cannot know what dangers we might face in the 2030s, 2040s and 2050s, so we are building the new Dreadnought class. Along with increasing the defence budget to buy new ships, more planes, and armoured vehicles, this commitment shows we will never gamble with our security.
Cyber Warfare
The Sun and Daily Express report on comments made by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon that Britain is using cyber warfare as a weapon for the first time in a military operation. According to the papers, Michael Fallon has said British security services and military units are jamming the internet and hacking the social media outlets of Daesh in the battle for Mosul, Iraq's second city.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
Cyber-attack is one of the greatest challenges to our security. It’s crucial we use our increasing defence budget to stay ahead and investing in this programme will help us protect against these threats.
More information about the Defence Secretary’s comments can be found here
Unmanned Mine Clearance
A variety of online French publications cover the announcement of the launch of the next phase of the £117 million joint Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme. It is reported that the development of this unmanned mine clearance vehicle will help keep our navy personnel safe in challenging maritime environments.
Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said:
This innovative project further strengthens the UK-French defence relationship and supports cutting edge research on both sides of the Channel. The development of advanced autonomous mine counter measures capability will safeguard our strategic interests, secure around 150 jobs in the UK supply chain, and protect our brave and skilled personnel.
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