The UK government has announced a major boost to its air defences, awarding a £453 million contract to upgrade radar systems on Typhoon fighter jets.
The deal, worth about $608 million, has been handed to defence contractors including BAE Systems and Leonardo.
On Thursday Defence Minister John Healey, ahead of a visit to Leonardo's facility in Edinburgh said, “As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate NATO airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come."
The Typhoon is the backbone of the UK’s air defence fleet and the country’s upgrades to the fleet are important not just to protect the UK but to encourage other countries to order the jets, helping sustain production lines and jobs at home. The government also says the investment is about more than security, it is designed to support the UK economy.
Ministers argue that modernising the Typhoon fleet will make the aircraft more attractive to overseas buyers, helping to sustain production lines and protect skilled jobs. Officials say the contract will secure more than 1,500 jobs across Britain.
In October, the UK secured an £8 billion (more than $10 billion) deal to sell Typhoon jets to Türkiye, and officials believe further sales to Qatar and Saudi Arabia could follow.
The government has also pledged to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027, signalling a long-term commitment to military investment.
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Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Pressure is mounting on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid resignations and a row over Peter Mandelson, a powerful figure in the ruling Labour Party. The episode has raised doubts about Starmer’s authority and how firmly his own party continues to back him.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, saying that “the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”
The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the case resurfacing as a key issue following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent trip to Beijing.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, marking the start of high-level talks between the two NATO allies.
The United States is set to deploy an additional 200 troops to Nigeria as part of expanded counterterrorism cooperation, according to a senior Nigerian military source.
Italy will not join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace because of constitutional constraints, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday, confirming Rome’s decision to stay out of the initiative.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Türkiye on Wednesday as part of a large delegation for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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