Today’s defence-related news includes coverage of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and the naming of HMS Trent.
Sergei Skripal
A variety of broadcast and print media including BBC News, BBC radio 4, Sky News, ITV Good Morning Britain, The Telegraph, The Times, The Daily Express, The Daily Mirror and The Independent continue to cover the story of the investigation into the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, with many reporting that the rime Minister will meet her National Security Council today to finalise her approach.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
“Our armed forces have stepped up to support the police in their investigation in Salisbury, building on the vital expertise and information already provided by our world-renowned scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down.
“We have the right people with the right skills to assist with this crucial inquiry. This is a dreadful incident and my thoughts remain with the victims and their families.”
You can read the statement the Prime Minister made in the House on the incident here.
HMS Trent
The Glasgow Herald reports that HMS Trent, the third of the Royal Navy’s five new Offshore Patrol Vessels, has been formally named at the Glasgow shipyard where she was built.
The ship’s sponsor, Mrs Pamela Potts, officially named the ship by pressing a button to smash a bottle of gin, which was distilled close to the River Trent, against the hull. Mrs Potts is the wife of Vice Admiral Duncan Potts, Director General of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
Minister for Defence Procurement, Guto Bebb, said:
“As the third of five Offshore Patrol Vessels being built in Scotland, HMS Trent will soon be part of a fleet of highly capable ships. These new vessels will keep the UK safe by conducting counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, anti-smuggling and other vital maritime operations. UK Defence has invested in an unprecedented ship-building production line in Glasgow and the city’s shipyards with their 1,700 highly skilled engineers and technicians, benefiting from full order books for the next two decades.”
You can read more about the naming of HMS Trent here.
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