Today’s defence related news includes coverage of the NAO report on the Nuclear Enterprise and the first Defence Space Conference.
NAO Report on the Nuclear Enterprise
The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, the Times, The Independent, The Glasgow Herald and The Press & Journal all report on the publication of the NAO report on the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
An MOD spokesperson said:
Not only is the nuclear deterrent our ultimate defence from the world’s most extreme threats, but it is a true national endeavour which supports thousands of British jobs. The Dreadnought programme is one of the most complex engineering programmes ever undertaken by the UK and the NAO’s report highlights our position that it is on track to be delivered on schedule and within the original estimated cost.
Defence Space Conference
Yesterday’s first Defence Space Conference is reported in The Times, The Scotsman, and Daily Telegraph focusing, with coverage including that the UK is at ‘acute risk of attack in space’ and that ‘we must work increasingly hard to defend our vitally important satellites’.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
We must make sure we are primed and ready to deter and counter the intensifying threats to our everyday life that are emerging in space. That’s why today I’m announcing the RAF is taking the lead in this area and why we plan to increase the number of personnel covering space.
Satellite technology is not just a crucial tool for our Armed Forces but vital to our way of life, whether that be access to our mobile phones, the internet or television. It is essential we protect our interests and assets from potential adversaries who seek to cause major disruption and do us harm.
Britain is a world leader in the space industry and our defence scientists and military personnel have played a central role in the development of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme alongside British companies, so it is important we also review our contribution and how we plan for alternative systems in this crucial area.
For more information about the announcement read here.
Image of the Day
Defence Minister Guto Bebb was at the Defence Space Conference where he spoke about how space has joined air, land, sea and cyber to form the five domains which underpin our defence. The Chief of Air Staff opened the first Defence Space Conference following the announcement from the Defence Secretary that the Defence Space Strategy will be launched later this year
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