Today's defence-related news includes reports on no deal Brexit preparations.
No deal Brexit Preparations
Widespread coverage in today’s newspapers on the Ministry of Defence’s contribution to cross government contingency preparations in case of a no deal Brexit. The Metro and Daily Mail report that more than 3,000 military officers are on standby in case of no-deal Brexit.
A MOD spokesperson said:
We are always willing to support wider government planning for any scenario, and we have committed to holding 3,500 troops at readiness to aid contingency plans. We will consider any requests from other government departments if they feel defence capability could contribute to their no-deal planning.
E-7 Aircraft
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has signed a $1.98Bn deal to purchase five E-7 early warning radar aircraft.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The E-7 provides a technological edge in an increasingly complex battlespace, allowing our ships and aircraft to track and target adversaries more effectively than ever. This deal also strengthens our vital military partnership with Australia.
We will operate state-of-the-art F-35 jets and world class Type 26 warships, and this announcement will help us work even more closely together to tackle the global threats we face.
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