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.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
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 death toll from the collapse of two residential buildings in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has risen to 15, state media said on Monday, as rescue teams wrapped up search operations and officials warned that more people could still be missing.
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
Cuban aviation authorities have warned airlines of jet fuel shortages at nine airports, including Havana’s José Martí International Airport, from 10 February to 11 March, as a worsening energy crisis, intensified by U.S. sanctions, hits the country.
The European Union has proposed extending its sanctions against Russia to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia that handle Russian oil, the first time the bloc would target ports in third countries, a proposal document showed on Monday.
China will offer firm support for "patriotic pro-reunification forces" in Taiwan and strike hard against "separatists", the top Chinese official in charge of policy towards the democratically-governed island said on Tuesday (10 February).
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.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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