Today’s defence related news includes coverage of the Royal Navy surveying shipwrecks off the Malaysian and Indonesians coasts and the F-35 Lighting jets.
Royal Navy Surveying Shipwrecks
The Mail on Sunday reports that the Royal Navy are sending a taskforce to examine British shipwrecks that are designated as war graves. Ten wrecks off the Malaysian and Indonesian coasts, that are considered the final resting place for more than 1,000 British sailors, have been pillaged for scrap metal. The Defence Secretary has asked Royal Navy survey vessels to examine the wrecks of warships such as HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Repulse and HMS Banka and report back on their state.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
We will never tolerate anyone vandalising or desecrating our graves sites on land and we will not tolerate this at sea. Every wreck is the final resting place of the brave sailors who fought for freedom and against oppression.
If there is any commercial activity around their graves this dishonours their memory. I have therefore ordered this survey to undertake further investigations
F35
The Sunday Times covers a story on the F-35 Lighting II jets that have recently arrived in the UK and will soon take part in their first flight trials from HMS Queen Elizabeth.
An MOD spokesperson said:
The jets continue to meet strict safety requirements and are on track to enter service by the end of the year