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Portugal: Nuno Melo draws red line on EU army ambitions as Spain pushes strategic autonomy debate
Portugal has firmly rejected the idea of a separate European army, placing itself at odds with Spain and reopening a long-running debate over the future of Europe’s defence architecture at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Speaking in Lisbon, Portugal’s…
Keir Starmer Under Fire as Defence Doubts Grow
A senior Labour grandee has delivered one of the most pointed critiques yet of Sir Keir Starmer’s approach to defence, raising not only questions about funding, but about the coherence—and, in some quarters, the competence—of the government’s wider security posture.…
Ankara presses case for inclusion in Europe’s defence projects
Turkey is pressing for a wider role in Europe’s defence architecture as NATO allies reassess capability, industrial resilience and the future balance of responsibility between Europe and the United States. The issue has gained renewed relevance because of Ankara’s position…
Eyes in the Sky: British Army Experiments with Drone-Enabled Tanks
The British Army’s latest experiments with drone warfare mark a notable shift in how armoured units may fight in future conflicts, blending traditional heavy platforms with rapidly evolving unmanned technology. Trials conducted by troops from the Queen’s Royal Hussars offer…
Allied drills underline rising stakes in the South China Sea
The latest round of joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, involving the United States, Australia and the Philippines, offers a revealing snapshot of a region where strategic signalling is becoming as important as military capability. Conducted over four…
Is Beijing prolonging war in Iran to expose America’s weakness?
The reports emerging from Washington this week are, on the face of it, fragmentary and hedged with caveats. Yet even in their ambiguity they point to something far more consequential than the mere movement of weapons. According to intelligence assessments…
Running on Empty: The Hidden Military Cost of Europe’s Jet Fuel Crisis
Europe’s aviation sector is staring at a jet fuel crisis that extends far beyond delayed holidays and cancelled city breaks. A warning from Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, reported by Reuters, that the continent could face a “systemic” jet fuel…
Britain’s Low-Cost Drone Defence Revolution Takes Flight
Britain’s defence industrial base has long been characterised by its ability to innovate under pressure. Yet in recent years, the pace of modern conflict—particularly the proliferation of low-cost drones—has exposed a pressing need for faster, more agile procurement. The Government’s…
UK reveals covert Russian submarine operation near critical undersea infrastructure
Britain has disclosed a previously covert naval operation in the High North and around wider UK waters, saying Royal Navy and RAF assets tracked an Akula-class Russian submarine and two specialist deep-sea units before the vessels withdrew. Britain has publicly…
Russian warship’s escort through Channel puts Britain’s shadow fleet policy under immediate test
A Russian warship’s escort of two sanctioned tankers through the English Channel has exposed the practical limits of Britain’s newly announced power to board shadow fleet vessels in UK waters, turning a recent sanctions measure into an immediate operational question.…