UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup

Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP and other guests watching the 15 years since the end of Operation TELIC in Iraq service.

This UK Armed Forces weekly news roundup covers key defence developments between the 16th of May and the 22nd of May 2026. British forces were active across the Norwegian Sea, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Germany, Lithuania and Scotland, with activity focused on NATO submarine warfare training, autonomous mine countermeasures, air defence, Army reinforcement exercises and the arrival of the RAF’s first Wedgetail aircraft at Lossiemouth.

The week also included Operation Telic remembrance activity, new space surveillance capability and continued movement of Royal Navy assets linked to possible Gulf tasking.

Royal Navy Conducts NATO Submarine Warfare Training as Mine-Hunting Systems Move Towards Hormuz

HMS Prince of Wales taking part in NATO exercise Dynamic Mongoose 26 in the Norwegian sea. Dynamic Mongoose 26 is a premier NATO anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise held in the High North/North Atlantic

HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Duncan operated in northern waters as NATO’s Exercise Dynamic Mongoose began in the Norwegian Sea on the 21st of May. The exercise brought together allied submarines, surface ships and aircraft for anti-submarine warfare training in a region central to North Atlantic security.

German, Dutch and Portuguese submarines were among the forces involved, with NATO submarine command directing selected units during the exercise. HMS Prince of Wales provided the carrier group element, while HMS Duncan delivered air-defence protection for the force.

The deployment followed recent Russian submarine activity around UK waters and wider concern over undersea infrastructure security in the North Atlantic. For the Royal Navy, the exercise tested carrier group operations in a demanding maritime environment where submarine detection, escort protection and allied coordination are central tasks.

Further south, HMS Stirling Castle arrived in Gibraltar carrying autonomous mine-hunting systems. Royal Navy motor boats including Ariadne and Halcyon were transferred to RFA Lyme Bay, which is expected to act as a mothership for mine countermeasure activity if a future Strait of Hormuz mission goes ahead.

The movement of these systems reflects the Royal Navy’s shift towards uncrewed mine warfare. In confined waters such as the Strait of Hormuz, autonomous surface vessels allow mine detection work to be conducted at greater distance from crewed ships, reducing risk to personnel while maintaining a clearance capability.

HMS Dragon also remained part of the wider Middle East picture. The Type 45 destroyer was reported moving through the Suez Canal during the week as the UK continued preparations for possible Gulf security activity. Dragon’s role remains tied to air defence, shipping protection and wider allied operations in the region.

Royal Marines Demonstrate Drone Capability and New Rifle at 40 Commando

700X Naval Air Squadron launched a Malloy heavy lift Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) from the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales.

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins visited 40 Commando during the week, where the unit demonstrated drone capability and formally opened the new Anzio range.

The visit also highlighted the KS-1 rifle, now designated L403A1, which is being introduced as the primary general-use rifle for the Future Commando Force. The weapon features improved optics, reduced muzzle signature and ambidextrous controls, reflecting the Royal Marines’ move towards lighter, more adaptable equipment for small-team operations.

Drone integration was also demonstrated as part of the visit. Small uncrewed systems are increasingly important to Royal Marines operations, particularly for reconnaissance, surveillance and target identification. Their use supports the Future Commando Force model, where dispersed teams need their own sensors and communications in complex terrain.

The development sits alongside wider Royal Navy investment in uncrewed systems, including autonomous mine-hunting craft and drones used to support littoral operations.

British Army Tests NATO Reinforcement Routes and Airborne Readiness

Paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, descended after being launched from a RAF A400M

Around 3,500 troops from 7 Light Mechanised Brigade assembled in Germany during the week as part of NATO readiness activity. Vehicles including Jackal 2s were landed through the German port of Emden, supported by personnel from 104 Theatre Sustainment Brigade.

The movement tested the Army’s ability to move personnel, vehicles and equipment from the UK into continental Europe at scale. Port handling, onward movement, logistics and sustainment are key elements of NATO reinforcement planning, particularly for forces expected to move quickly in response to a crisis.

In Lithuania, paratroopers from A Company, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment took part in Exercise Fly Trap. The training included preparation for assaulting a simulated enemy-held building, with emphasis on airborne infantry tactics, close-quarter movement and rapid seizure of key locations.

The Army’s activity during the week reflected continued focus on mobility, reinforcement and readiness across NATO’s eastern flank. These are the practical elements that determine whether deployed forces can arrive, move and sustain themselves in time.

Royal Air Force Receives First Wedgetail at RAF Lossiemouth

The first Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft, destined to serve with the RAF, has arrived at RAF Lossiemouth on 21 May 2026.

The UK’s first Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft arrived at RAF Lossiemouth on the 22nd of May. The aircraft, known as WT001, flew from Birmingham to its future operating base in Moray and will continue test and evaluation activity before formal handover.

Wedgetail is intended to restore the UK’s fixed-wing airborne early warning and control capability following the retirement of the E-3D Sentry. The aircraft is designed to provide long-range air surveillance, command and control, and coordination for air and maritime operations.

RAF Lossiemouth is already home to the Poseidon maritime patrol fleet and Typhoon squadrons. The arrival of Wedgetail strengthens the base’s role in northern air and maritime security, particularly as Russian activity in the North Atlantic and High North remains a central defence concern.

RAF activity in Cyprus also continued. Chinooks based at RAF Akrotiri took part in Exercise Ifestos with Cypriot emergency services near Nicosia, practising aerial firefighting using a water bucket. The training followed the use of RAF Chinooks during major wildfire response activity in Cyprus in 2025.

RAF Typhoons at RAF Akrotiri remained part of the regional air defence picture, with imagery during the week showing aircraft armed with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rockets, a lower-cost precision weapon suited to counter-drone roles.

Operation Telic Remembered 15 Years After the End of UK Operations in Iraq

Left to right (middle centre) Laurence Moore, the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP and Vice Lord Lieutenant Stafforfdshire, Graham Morley paying their respects at the Basra Memorial Wall. On Friday 22 May 2026

On the 22nd of May, the Royal British Legion held a national commemorative event at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark 15 years since the end of Operation Telic.

Operation Telic was the UK’s military operation in Iraq. Around 179 British personnel died during the conflict, with many others wounded or affected by their service. The anniversary provided a formal moment of remembrance for those who served, those who were injured and those who did not return.

The Basra Memorial Wall also returned to public attention through digital remembrance work. The memorial records the names of British personnel who died during Operation Telic and is now held at the National Memorial Arboretum after being brought back from Iraq.

Digital access to the memorial allows families, former comrades and members of the public to view the names remotely. The work supports remembrance for a campaign that remains highly significant to a generation of service personnel and veterans.

The Ministry of Defence also announced the first National Cadets Week, planned for October 2026. The initiative forms part of wider efforts to expand cadet opportunities, with a target to increase cadet numbers by 30 percent by 2030.

Strategic Overview: Submarines, Air Defence, Space and Reinforcement Shape the Week

NATO Submarines operating with HMS Prince of Wales, taking part in NATO exercise Dynamic Mongoose 26. Dynamic Mongoose 26 is a premier NATO anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise held in the High North/North Atlantic

UK defence activity during the week covered several domains. In the Norwegian Sea, Royal Navy forces joined NATO anti-submarine warfare training. In Gibraltar, autonomous mine-hunting systems were moved towards potential Gulf tasking. In Germany and Lithuania, British Army units tested reinforcement and airborne readiness. In Scotland, the RAF’s first Wedgetail arrived at Lossiemouth.

The Ministry of Defence also confirmed that the Borealis space awareness system had become operational ahead of schedule. The system improves the UK’s ability to monitor satellites, debris and potential threats in orbit, using data including imagery from the Noctis-1 military telescope.

Space awareness is increasingly relevant to military operations. Satellite services support navigation, communications, intelligence, weather forecasting and targeting. Better tracking of objects and threats in orbit gives the UK a stronger understanding of risks to those systems.

Capability Watch

HQ ARRC (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) provides NATO with a rapidly deployable, flexible HQ that can act as a Joint, Land, or Corps HQ for Operations and crisis response.

The arrival of the first Wedgetail at RAF Lossiemouth was the week’s most significant capability milestone. The aircraft begins the process of restoring the UK’s airborne early warning and control capability after the retirement of the E-3D Sentry.

The arrival of the first Wedgetail at RAF Lossiemouth was the week’s most significant capability milestone. The aircraft begins the process of restoring the UK’s airborne early warning and control capability after the retirement of the E-3D Sentry. The Borealis space awareness system was also operationalised ahead of schedule, improving the UK’s ability to monitor satellites and potential threats in orbit.

Together, Wedgetail and Borealis strengthen the UK’s ability to detect, track and understand threats across air and space domains.

Looking Ahead

The next week will be important for NATO’s Dynamic Mongoose activity, the Royal Navy’s mine countermeasure preparations linked to the Strait of Hormuz and the RAF’s Wedgetail test and evaluation programme.

Attention will also remain on British Army reinforcement activity in Europe and the continuing role of UK air and naval assets in the Middle East.

For continued coverage of ship movements, exercises and defence developments, keep following our UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup.

All Images © UK MOD - Crown Copyright 2026