Today's defence news includes reporting on RAF and Army sick pay, Armed Forces funding, and shipbuilding.
ARMED FORCES SICK PAY
The Mirror, The Herald, and Daily Record report that the RAF has been rated the best employer for levels of sick pay, followed by the Army.
RUSSIAN SUBMARINES
The Daily Mail repeats yesterday’s i report on Russian submarines in UK waters. The Telegraph also reports that the UK has seen a rise in Russian submarine incursions.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said:
The Royal Navy maintains a vigilant watch in international and territorial waters and is always ready to keep Britain safe from potential threats. We do not comment on operational detail for obvious security reasons.
ARMED FORCES FUNDING
The Sun, Daily Mail, and Daily Star follow up yesterday’s report in The Telegraph that there are ‘secret preparations’ being made by the Armed Forces for Defence cuts.
An MOD spokesperson said:
We spend more on defence than any other country in Europe, exceed NATO’s 2% target and have a budget set to hit £40 billion a year by the end of the Parliament as we invest £178 billion in equipment over the next decade.
NATO
The Daily Mail writes that former Prime Minister David Cameron is being lined up as a contender to be the next NATO Secretary General.
SHIPBUILDING
Scottish paper The National splashes with a story airing criticism of the Government by Scottish MP Douglas Chapman, who calls into question issues around the MARS Tankers, suggesting they should be built in Scotland rather than South Korea.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said:
The UK Government is committed to naval shipbuilding on the Clyde. Just weeks ago, Sir Michael Fallon committed the UK Government to building the Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde through to 2035. We remain confident of delivering the MARS Tanker project within the original approved budget and expect all four tankers to be in service by the end of 2018 as planned.