Welcome to this week’s British military news update, covering the latest developments across the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and veterans’ affairs. Over the past seven days the UK has launched a new Military Intelligence Services organisation, stepped up Arctic training with allies, unveiled major undersea warfare technology, deepened Anglo French air co-operation and pushed forward with new support for serving families. Here is your full UK Armed Forces briefing.

British Army: Arctic Training in Finland, State Visits and Atlantic Challenge

The British Army continued to demonstrate its global reach and partnership role this week, particularly in Europe’s far north.

Soldiers from the UK have been training in Finland with the Kainuu Brigade, taking part in demanding Arctic exercises in deep snow and sub-zero temperatures. The training focused on dismounted patrols, live firing and survival skills in forested terrain, and is designed to improve the Army’s ability to operate alongside Finnish forces in the High North. As Finland is now a NATO ally, this kind of training strengthens collective defence on the alliance’s northern flank and gives British troops valuable cold weather experience. 

Earlier in the week, the Army played a prominent role in the State Visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the United Kingdom. Guardsmen, bands and mounted troops provided full ceremonial honours at Windsor, reflecting the close defence relationship between the UK and Germany and the importance of visible pageantry in diplomatic engagements.

There was also a royal visit to the Scottish infantry. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) at Fort George, meeting soldiers, families and support staff. The visit, her second to the regiment in a short period, underlined the strong bond between the Royal Family and the Army, and provided a welcome morale boost for personnel based in the Highlands.

Tragic death of a British soldier in Ukraine

The Ministry of Defence also confirmed the death of Lance Corporal George Thomas Hooley, a 28 year old paratrooper of the Parachute Regiment, who died in Ukraine on 9 December. According to the official statement, he was injured in a tragic accident away from the front line while observing Ukrainian forces testing a new defensive capability, and later died of his injuries.

Tributes described Lance Corporal Hooley as an exceptional soldier whose career had included deployments around the world in the cause of freedom and collective security. Political leaders and senior officers offered condolences to his family and friends, and acknowledged the small number of British personnel who are in Ukraine in advisory and protective roles. His death is a stark reminder of the risks that members of the UK Armed Forces face, even when working away from the front line, and it will be deeply felt across the Army community.

Finally, a team of junior rank soldiers began an extraordinary endurance effort, setting off to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in the “World’s Toughest Row” race. The Army crew, part of “Force Atlantic”, will spend weeks at sea in a small boat, raising money for charity and showcasing the resilience, teamwork and determination that lie at the heart of Army culture. 

For those following British Army news, this week combines high end Arctic preparation, diplomatic ceremony and inspirational feats of endurance.

Royal Navy: Atlantic Bastion, New Frigate and Carrier Support Ship

The Royal Navy’s focus this week has been on the future battlespace beneath the waves, as well as on the ships that will sustain British carrier operations into the 2030s.

The UK unveiled work on its Atlantic Bastion programme, a ground-breaking undersea warfare effort that will transform how the Royal Navy hunts hostile submarines and protects critical seabed infrastructure in the North Atlantic. Atlantic Bastion will bring together new sensors, uncrewed underwater systems, advanced data processing and improved coordination with allies, all aimed at countering the growing threat from Russian submarines around vital cable routes and sea lanes.

In Rosyth, shipbuilders marked a milestone for the surface fleet as the keel was laid for the third Type 31 frigate. This new generation of general purpose frigates is intended to provide flexible, affordable platforms for security, escort and presence tasks, and is part of a wider effort to revitalise UK shipbuilding and deliver jobs in Scottish yards. The keel laying ceremony symbolises the moment a warship truly begins to take physical shape on the blocks.

Further to the south-west, construction has begun on the first of three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships at the Appledore shipyard in North Devon. These Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels will act as the logistic backbone for the UK’s carrier strike capability, carrying ammunition, spare parts and food to keep HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales supplied on long deployments. Together with their sister ships, the FSS vessels will be essential for sustaining British naval operations far from home.

There was also a quieter story with a strong environmental theme. The Royal Navy’s headquarters on Whale Island in Portsmouth won national recognition for its decision to ban single-use hot drink cups in the main building café and to reward personnel who bring reusable mugs. The policy has already stopped more than fifty thousand disposable cups from going to landfill and saved thousands of pounds. The scheme is now being rolled out across other naval establishments, a small but visible sign of the Navy’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Royal Marines: Undersea Threats and High North Focus

Although not the subject of a specific headline this week, the Royal Marines sit at the centre of many of these naval developments.

Atlantic Bastion is not only about deep ocean sensor networks and submarine tracking. It also has a coastal and littoral dimension, where commando units will be vital. Royal Marines, working from frigates, support ships and future littoral response vessels, are expected to serve as forward observers along vulnerable coastlines, protect key nodes of undersea infrastructure near shore, and provide boarding and security teams for ships involved in anti-submarine operations.

The Army’s Arctic training in Finland also has echoes in the Royal Marines world. The Corps has a long-standing relationship with Norway and specialises in cold weather operations. The renewed focus on the High North across NATO means that combined Arctic training, pre-positioned equipment and shared tactics between British commandos and Nordic forces will be increasingly important. For Royal Marines followers, this week is another sign that the future battlefield will stretch from icy fjords and frozen forests down to the seabed.

Royal Air Force: Anglo-French Air Power Talks and Support for Families

The Royal Air Force continued to build international partnerships and support its own community at home.

Senior RAF leaders met their counterparts from the French Air and Space Force at a board-to-board meeting in Lyon. The session was used to review ongoing cooperation, explore future projects and discuss shared challenges in areas such as air defence, space surveillance and future combat air systems. The meeting also built on the Lancaster House 2.0 Declaration, which aims to modernise UK-French defence and security cooperation. For the RAF, this engagement is part of a wider strategy that keeps Britain plugged into key European airpower networks and ensures interoperability in any future crisis.

On the home front, the RAF highlighted the Serving Families: On the Move programme, supported by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund. This scheme provides grants to help remove barriers faced by families who move frequently because of postings. Projects funded under the programme can include local welcome initiatives, employment and training support for spouses, and activities that help children settle into new schools and communities. The latest application round remains open through December, a reminder that practical support for families is every bit as important as new aircraft and weapons.

Veterans’ Affairs: Armed Forces Day Plans and Community Links

In veterans’ affairs and public engagement, attention turned to how the nation will mark its annual celebration of those who serve.

A written statement in Parliament set out plans for the Armed Forces Day National Event 2026, confirming arrangements and inviting local authorities to engage with the programme. Armed Forces Day gives communities across the UK a chance to show their appreciation for serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families, through parades, shows and educational events. Announcing plans well in advance helps local councils and charities to prepare, raise funds and ensure veterans are at the heart of their local celebrations.

This sits alongside the continued roll-out of the VALOUR strategy and Covenant funded projects, signalling that government and society are trying to make recognition and support for the Armed Forces a year-round commitment rather than a single weekend gesture.

Strategic Summary: New Military Intelligence Services and Rising Threats

Perhaps the most strategically significant announcement of the week came on 12 December, when the government launched the new Military Intelligence Services (MIS).

This unified organisation brings together intelligence units from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, UK Space Command and Permanent Joint Headquarters into a single structure for the first time. The aim is to speed up how Defence gathers, analyses and shares information, using data from land, sea, air, space and cyberspace in real time. MIS will sit under the Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, working alongside a newly created Defence Counter-Intelligence Unit.

The launch follows warnings that hostile intelligence activity against the Ministry of Defence has risen by more than fifty per cent in the past year, driven by states such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. These threats range from cyber attacks and satellite disruption to espionage against defence personnel and sabotage of supply chains.

For the UK Armed Forces, MIS is intended to provide sharper warnings of threats, better protection for sensitive capabilities such as the nuclear deterrent and major industrial projects, and stronger links with allies in NATO and the Five Eyes community. It is a reminder that intelligence, often invisible to the public, underpins everything from Arctic training and carrier operations to RAF exercises and veterans’ safety at home.

Keep Following Our Weekly Updates

That concludes this week’s UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup. From Arctic exercises in Finland and undersea warfare programmes in the North Atlantic, to Anglo-French airpower talks, Armed Forces Day planning and the creation of a new Military Intelligence Services organisation, it has been a significant week for British defence.

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Join us again next Friday for your next UK Armed Forces Weekly News Roundup.