Today’s defence relates news includes comments from Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon and Chief of the Airstaff Sir Stephen Hillier (CAS) regarding the three-year anniversary of the first RAF airstrike against Daesh and comments on yesterday's dispute between Bombardier and Boeing.
The three-year anniversary of counter-Daesh operations.
Marking the anniversary, there has been widespread coverage praising the RAF’s success in the fight against Daesh.
Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said
Britain has made a major contribution to the campaign that has crippled Daesh since 2014, forcing this miserable cult from the gates of Baghdad to the brink of defeat in Raqqa. By air, land and sea UK personnel have played a tireless role in striking targets and training allies.
Radio 4 Today, The Sun, The Press and JournalandThe HeraldBBC reported on the RAF successes helping drive Daesh out of 70 percent of the land it held in Iraq and 65 percent in Syria and killing 3,000 extremists.
Major General Rupert Jones also spoke on the Radio 4 Today commenting on the coalition’s extraordinary progress against Daesh with Iraqi Security Forces stopping Daesh’s advance in Iraq and now taking the fight to the enemy.
Commenting on the success of the operation Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier said
This has been an immense effort by RAF airmen and airwomen over the last 3 years of continued operations, countering Da’esh in Iraq and Syria. However, the tempo continues with RAF aircraft destroying 17 targets in Syria in a single day last week.
Bombardier and Boeing dispute.
Yesterday Boeing petitioned the US Department of Commerce (DoC) to launch an investigation into Bombardier. Under US law, US industries may petition the Government for relief from imports that are sold in the US at less than fair value or which benefit from subsidies provided through foreign government programmes.
Boeing’s position in this case is unjustified and not what we expect of a long-term partner to the UK. Whilst this will not affect our existing programmes, these actions could undermine our future relationship and programmes.
Two Royal Air Force Typhoon Aircraft from 3 (Fighter) Squadron in Estonia conducting a training mission. The aircraft were part of last month's Air Land integration training with the British Army Battlegroup, currently deployed in Estonia as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Operation.
