Today’s defence news includes a Times interview with the Defence Secretary, the centenary of the Royal Air Force, and UK involvement in the Galileo satellite programme.
Defence Secretary interview
The Times includes an interview with the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson in which he said that he wants to see the Armed Forces play a greater role in countering disinformation at home and across Europe, highlighting 77 Brigade and that information operations would become a more central part of all military deployments.
The Defence Secretary’s comments were also covered in wider coverage of the expulsion of Russian diplomats including in The Sun, The Guardian and The Scotsman.
RAF 100
BBC Radio 4 Today reported on the RAF celebrating its 100th birthday this year and that the celebrations kick of this weekend with air shows and commemorations around the country. Coverage included Sqn Ldr Jo Roe who said that he hoped that the celebrations will be a really remarkable occasion to mark the extraordinary history of the Royal Air Force.
Events are due to start on 1 April with the launch of the RAF centenary baton relay, which will visit 100 places around the UK and overseas to represent 100 years of the RAF.
Galileo
The Financial Times, The Times, The Sun, The Daily Mail and The Express continue to report on claims that the EU plans to block UK companies from the Galileo satellite programme after Brexit.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said:
“The UK has a world-leading space sector that has contributed a significant amount of specialist expertise to the Galileo programme. The government has been clear that we want our critical role in this important project, which will help strengthen European security, to continue as we develop our deep and special partnership with the EU.
“This could only happen with complete UK involvement in all aspects of Galileo, including the key secure elements which the UK has unique specialisms in and have helped to design and implement.”
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