UK Defence, foreign policy & its combined application. With the aim to articulate British strengths and promote discussion around our weaknesses.
Joined March 2018
- Tweets 12,188
- Following 598
- Followers 4,815
- Likes 89,186
1,143 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
13 Jul 2018
A short, concise, informative video from @HJS_Org and @james_rogers.
Intelligently detailing Britain’s historic geographical advantages, and as a result, our contemporary global reach.
What is the geography of British power? youtu.be/nQcT9wYmXZk
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Call me a cynic…🤔
But we seize a 🇷🇺 shadow tanker, the same week 🇬🇧 defence spending is questioned and remains under sustained pressure.
Weeks after we reduced our sanctions on 🇷🇺 sourced oil for aviation fuel.
Still a good thing, but what an ideal distraction exercise 👀.
Updated with images and video:
Royal Navy warships support first UK seizure of Russian shadow fleet vessel
navylookout.com/royal-navy-w…
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Great to see this reshoring of 🇬🇧 industry
Stayed not far away from the @BrittenNorman site in the Isle of Wight a couple of years ago.
First new UK-built Islander: wing-to-fuselage join complete.
The next generation is taking shape in Britain - with more on the line behind it.
#MadeInBritain #STOL #BrittenNorman #Islander
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Tri-Service in Action
Superb 👏
@RoyalAirForce Atlas, transportation.
@BritishArmy, Parachute Pathfinders, delivering aid.
@RoyalNavy, @HMS_Medway recovering personnel, through @BFSouthAtlantic
🌊 4,500 miles. 18 days. One mission complete.
🛳️From the Falklands to Tristan da Cunha, @HMS_Medway delivered vital support before safely recovering @BritishArmy Pathfinders.
✈️ RAF inserted.🪂Army established. ⚓Navy recovered.
Joint operations in action.
@BFSouthAtlantic
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CommonSense Defence retweeted
Today, we celebrate the British Overseas Territories.
The British Overseas Territories are proud members of the British family and we celebrate their beauty, heritage and family bonds as we work together in tandem into the future.
🇫🇰🇦🇨🇦🇮🇮🇴🇰🇾🇬🇮🇲🇸🇵🇳🇸🇭🇬🇸🇧🇲🇻🇬🇹🇦🇹🇨🇬🇧
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Rare Good News
▪️First RAF Wedgetail AEW lands at @RAFLossiemouth joining Poseidon ASW fleet.
▪️F35B SPEAR progression, to eventually enhance stand off strike capability.
▪️RFA progressing plans to return @RFAFortVictoria to service, to aid transition to FSS.
H/T @NavyLookout
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Painfully naive.
Of course allies and relationships are vital, and the nature of them means we’re unlikely to fight alone.
But of course that’s always a possibility.
🇫🇰 Falklands - Operation Corporate
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone - Operation Palliser/Barras
Two contemporary examples.
May 20
“We will never fight alone.”
From across the globe, senior Warrant Officers came together at the Regimental Sergeant Majors’ Convention in Sandhurst.
Alongside UK Defence and @NATO Allies, discussions focused on leadership, readiness and how we fight together 🤝
Read more ⬇️
bit.ly/4tCb3jP
ALT A person in military attire stands at a podium on a stage, addressing an audience of uniformed individuals. Large screens display the text "Mission Ready – Preparing Our People," "RSM’s Convention 2026," and "COMARRC." A British Army banner is visible to the left. The setting appears to be a formal military event in an auditorium.
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If no @AeralisJet, either:
- T2 Hawk as a stop gap.
- T1 Typhoon, accepting opex costs.
- If a none 🇬🇧 buy, save the money and scrap the @rafredarrows.
May 15
Aeralis, developing a potential Red Arrows replacement, has collapsed into administration blaming delays to the UK Defence Investment Plan. Click image for more.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/aera…
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Usual excellent snapshot by @TBrit90
We really ought to have:
- A 2nd T45 active
- A 2nd Astute active
- At least 1, arguably 2 more Tides active
- A 2nd Bay active
4-5 more vessels at sea and it looks and feels a whole lot healthier.
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RAF Typhoon proving its worth ⬇️
🇨🇾 @RAFAkrotiri, 6-8 Typhoon helping guard 🇨🇾 & 🇯🇴.
🇶🇦 6-8 Typhoon helping secure 🇶🇦 & 🇧🇭.
🇷🇴 5 Typhoon on @NATO Eastern Sentry operations.
🇫🇰 @BFSouthAtlantic 4 Typhoon on QRA.
🇬🇧 @RAFLossiemouth & @RAFConingsby
c.8 Typhoon on QRA.
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Timely, given recent events‼️
ℹ️⬇️
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Superb all round effort to achieve this, we all wish you well @HMSDragon
I wonder if we do see @RFALymeBay joining her and perhaps a Tide tanker to aide persistence.
Speculation continues that HMS Anson, may have left 🇦🇺 too.
Mar 10
Bound for the Eastern Mediterranean…
Our sailors stand ready, as ever, to protect our great nation as HMS Dragon departs Portsmouth today. Fair winds!
🔗royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2026/m…
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Sounds great…🇫🇷🤔
Pray tell what replaces them?
I’ll be interested to see @MarineNationale availability 6 months from now…
*Notwithstanding a T45 should have been prepared from the beginning, if not before, the conflict.
🇨🇵According to Emmanuel Macron, France will deploy 8 air defense missile frigates, the flagship of the French Navy - the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and 2 Mistral-type landing helicopter carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the security of its allies.
See the latest updates with us:@TTheBattlefield
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🇬🇧↔️🇺🇸 Relations
Arguably Trump’s comments ‘prove’ the relationship, highlighting its relevance.
Lots of fawning over 🇫🇷, similarly late, ❌ involved in strikes, see 🇩🇪🇦🇺🇨🇦.
🤫👀
🇬🇧 is entitled to its own foreign policy, though preparedness must improve and spending is vital.
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The rush betrays 🇬🇧 being caught out
- Dragon
- Wildcat
- Merlin AEW
- *PoW heightened readiness
T45 & Sky Sabre dispatched before the conflict, and little comment, probably praise.
Small political margins, no nose for it.
*To what benefit with Akrotiri?
**still no Sky Sabre?
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🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸
HMS Anson has arrived in 🇦🇺, as a political AUKUS deployment...
@TBrit90’s graphic, x1 active SSN.
- Supposedly Artful is close (GIUK 👀), presumably why Anson is out of area.
- Agamemnon at sea in the next year.
- Achilles in build.
Light at the end of the SSN tunnel?
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✈️ Wedgetail
A key capability, far too delayed, 🇬🇧 desperate for these 3 aircraft to enter @RoyalAirForce service.
This is the 2nd aircraft, gone quite quiet on the first.
Hopefully, not far from IOC.
Feb 21
Proper cool sight at Birmingham Airport today...
The No.2 RAF E-7A Wedgetail (WT002) doing full engine run up tests right outside the STS hangar. This 14.7 year old ex-N449BJ 737-700BBJ (ex-Hongkong Jet/Longtail) arrived back in 2021 for conversion and is coming along nicely. Once done it’ll follow WT001 to London Southend for the full RAF livery.
classic 737NG-to-Wedgetail pipeline working well. Birmingham quietly becoming a key hub for NATO AEW work (USAF prototypes coming too).
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Regrettable news today as @RFAArgus is withdrawn from service, an extremely flexible platform.
🏝️ Amphibious ops
🚁 Aviation training
⛑️ Hospital ship
🇫🇰 Final Falklands veteran
For me:
- MRSS asap.
- Bay’s reevaluated for LSS conversion.
- FSS/PRCS role should be instigated.
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8 Jul 2025
Why can’t a T45 replace Lancaster❓
Appreciate T23 fleet strained, but given recent regional tensions, surely not insurmountable.
For a continued 🇬🇧 presence, prioritise deploying Stirling Castle to support MCM T45.
7 T23
TAPS
Carrier as req
FRES
6 T45
Gulf
Carrier as req
8 Jul 2025
Latest news article:
HMS Lancaster to be withdrawn from the Gulf region without replacement
navylookout.com/hms-lancaste…
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26 Jun 2025
Carrier exercises in the Med, particularly cross deck operations with F35 operator 🇮🇹
Engagement with a growing @commonwealthsec power 🇮🇳
Imagine joint exercises with 🇸🇬 (a future operator of F35) & a vital FPDA presence.
Soon to begin exercises with 🇦🇺, another F35 operator.
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25 Jun 2025
F35 Déjà vu Folly…
Phillip Hammond announcing the ↩️ B-C-B
History repeats.
@NATO 🇮🇹🇹🇷🇧🇪🇩🇪🇳🇱 fulfil this role
🇬🇧❌⛽️ A’s
12 a small inefficient fleet, reducing fleet effectiveness
Could, in time, undermine 🇬🇧 CASD
Weakens 🇬🇧 carrier strike
Senseless.
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