Ministry of Defence

Training pathways for the use of small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are expanding rapidly as the Army continues to build skills in robotics and autonomous systems, informed by lessons learned from Ukraine.

Centralised sUAS training delivered by the Land Warfare Centre has been in development for much of this training year. As pathways mature, the Centre is currently scheduled to deliver 65 courses in Training Year 2026-27, with this number expected to increase or remain consistent in future years depending on uptake.

Alongside this, distributed training—delivered by individual units within the Field Army—remains a significant element of the Army’s approach. 283 distributed courses have been scheduled in the current training year, and the number of available course places is expected to grow in future years.

Exact figures on the number of units training specifically on small Uncrewed Air Systems (sUAS) are not held centrally. However, as of March 2026, 127 Army units are reported to be conducting training on Uncrewed Air Systems, the vast majority of which relates to sUAS.

ECW training is conducted as required to support operational and exercise commitments, particularly in the High North. The RAF regularly train and operate alongside NATO allies and Nordic partners in extreme cold environments.

The Future Cruise Anti-Ship Weapon programme continues to move towards its Full Business Case approval in 2026. The schedule for completing the approval process is structured to allow continued delivery of industry work (where approvals are already in place to protect work throughout 2026) without the approval process introducing any delay.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has an established Intellectual Property (IP) acquisition policy which applies to all procurement contracts including those for equipment and armoured fighting vehicles.

Unless special circumstances apply, the MOD’s policy is to leave the ownership of IP resulting from a contract with the contractor, while securing rights to use IP for internal use by the MOD, its technical advisers when necessary, and for competitive contracting for goods and services (including equipment support) needed by the MOD. This approach enables the MOD to operate, maintain and refresh capabilities without being dependent on others (“freedom of action”); and provides value-for-money. ​

The UK's defence spending is reported to and published by NATO. The figures requested can be found online: https://www.nato.int/content/dam/nato/webready/documents/finance/def-exp-2025-en.pdf

I responded to the hon. Member on 10 March 2026.

I responded to the hon. Member on 10 March 2026.

The UK and Poland will engage in joint training which will include a mix of live training and Digital Synthetic elements to maximise the benefits to both nations’ service personnel.

The UK and Poland will engage in joint training which will include a mix of live training and Digital Synthetic elements to maximise the benefits to both nations’ service personnel.

The Secretary of State for Defence has regular discussions with officials, external experts and Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Ministry of Defence is actively supporting this work as reflected in recent speeches by the Prime Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff at the Munich Security Conference.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with the Cabinet Office and wider Government Departments, contributing towards cross-Government efforts to increase public awareness and resilience to the most serious risks we face, including conflict scenarios.

The Defence Secretary strongly recognises the strategic importance Cyprus provides to the UK and its allies, with discussions regarding capability deployments in the region being seen as a priority for our operational interests and broader security cooperation.

UK bases were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.

The accreditations in question, whilst aligned to the Defence cyber skillsets, are not formal Ministry of Defence qualifications. The information is not therefore held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 March 2026 to Question 115467.

As stated by the Prime Minister on 5 March 2026, RAF aircraft continue to conduct defensive operations in the region. At this time, we will not comment further due to operational security.

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of Service personnel currently stationed at the Hub on a permanent basis were less than five, as shown below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, as at 1 October 25

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel stationed permanently at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, 2016 - 2025

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of Unique UK Armed Forces Service Personnel³ Deployed² to Global Hub Oman (GHO)⁷ by Financial Year^5,6,8

Notes

1. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.
2. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

3. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

4. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

5. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

6. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year, so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures cannot be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

7. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

8. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

9. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

1. [c] - less than 5

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of Service personnel currently stationed at the Hub on a permanent basis were less than five, as shown below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, as at 1 October 25

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel stationed permanently at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of UK Regular¹ Armed Forces Service Personnel Stationed² at Global Hub Oman (GHO)³, 2016 - 2025

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

As at October 2025 (latest figures available), the numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the Hub in each of the last 10 financial years are below:

Number of Unique UK Armed Forces Service Personnel³ Deployed² to Global Hub Oman (GHO)⁷ by Financial Year^5,6,8

Notes

1. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.
2. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

3. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

4. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

5. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

6. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year, so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures cannot be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

7. GHO has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA).

8. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

9. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

1. [c] - less than 5

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March 2026 to Question 116019 to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis).

No British military personnel were involved in the planning for the US attack on Iran. It is the longstanding policy of successive Governments that we do not comment on intelligence matters.

The UK’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable and we continue to reinforce our role as the leading European nation in the alliance.

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. The Land Training Area: Ras Madrakah Training Area, is part of GHO’s capabilities. The following table provides the number of live firing exercises conducted on Ras Madrakah Training Area, in each of the last 10 financial years.

The Land Regional Hub Oman has transitioned into the Global Hub Oman (GHO) providing Land, Sea and Air capabilities. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations.

The Army continually reviews equipment allocations to ensure training needs are met. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations, including the Land Regional Hub Germany.

The Army continually reviews equipment allocations to ensure training needs are met. For operational security reasons, we do not release details of equipment holdings, changes in quantities, or future allocations at specific locations, including the Land Regional Hub Germany.

Live Firing exercises that took place at the Land Regional Hub Germany over the last ten years are recorded by calendar year rather than financial year. The number of Live Firing exercises that all took place on the Sennelager Training area in each of the last 10 year are as follows:

All of the data provided in this response is as at 31 October 2025 as this is the latest data available.

There are currently 310 Regular Service personnel stationed at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany.

The numbers of Regular service personnel stationed permanently at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

The numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. 'Land Regional Hub' Germany has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA). Land Regional Hub has been defined as sites in Germany administered by the UK. This primarily includes sites in Paderborn and Moenchengladbach.

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

6. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.

7. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

8. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

9. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

1. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

1. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures can not be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

2. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

All of the data provided in this response is as at 31 October 2025 as this is the latest data available.

There are currently 310 Regular Service personnel stationed at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany.

The numbers of Regular service personnel stationed permanently at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

The numbers of service personnel deployed temporarily at the ‘Land Regional Hub’ in Germany in each of the last 10 financial years is provided in the table below:

Notes

1. UK Regulars comprise full time service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, Mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

3. 'Land Regional Hub' Germany has been derived from the Location Unit field in Joint Personnel Administration (JPA). Land Regional Hub has been defined as sites in Germany administered by the UK. This primarily includes sites in Paderborn and Moenchengladbach.

4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

5. [c] - less than 5

6. Deployment data are derived from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) `Move and Track` system. Due to ongoing validation of data from JPA, figures provided are provisional and subject to change. Figures have been derived from the January 2026 deployment extract.

7. Deployed personnel are Military personnel who are deployed on Operations. The Move and Track database records all personnel who enter a deployment theatre for over 24hrs. Each individual has a new record for each change in deployed unit, location, operation or date.

8. ‘UK Forces Service Personnel’ comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS).

9. Service personnel data is derived from the JPA system, which is a combination of mandatory and non-mandatory fields populated by unit administrators and voluntary fields that Armed Forces personnel can choose to complete based on their perceptions.

1. The Date of Deployment is the 'deployed date in' as recorded on JPA 'Move and Track' system. This is the date personnel deployed into the respective count.

1. Please note: the total does not include repeat tours within the same calendar year so each individual is only recorded once per financial year. If personnel began a deployment in multiple financial years, then they would be reported in each financial year they were deployed in. Hence, figures can not be combined to give an overall number of unique personnel deployed over this whole period.

2. The Financial Year for Defence Statistics purposes starts on 1 April and ends on 31 March.

This Government continues to hold those who serve, and who have served, in our Armed Forces, in the highest esteem.

The question of whether a National Defence Medal should be introduced has previously been considered at length. The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) made its recommendation not to proceed with such a medal following the Independent Military Medals Review in 2012, which is publicly available at Military medals review: report by Sir John Holmes - GOV.UK. Any further review of this issue would be for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee to consider, and to make appropriate recommendations to its parent HD Committee, not the Ministry of Defence.

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is entering the concept demonstration phase.

As the hon. Gentleman will recall from me repeatedly saying in the Commons, and again from his time as a Defence Minister, it is longstanding UK policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any given location. The UK and Mauritius enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, but the Secretary of State has not met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius.

The following table shows the distinct number of Service personnel who received operational tour bonuses as paid under ‘operational allowance’ and ‘retro operational allowance’ in the last ten financial years.

Totals represent unique individuals and may therefore differ from the sum of individual allowance counts.

The following table shows the distinct number of Service personnel who received operational tour bonuses as paid under ‘operational allowance’ and ‘retro operational allowance’ in the last ten financial years.

Totals represent unique individuals and may therefore differ from the sum of individual allowance counts.

Operational Allowance (OA) is a location‑driven allowance that recognises increased and enduring danger in Specified Operational Locations (SOLs). The number of Service Personnel in receipt of OA reflects the number of Service Personnel deployed to SOLs.

SOL status is kept under regular review and is considered by the Permanent Joint Headquarters’ (PJHQ) Operational Records Board on a six‑monthly basis. As operational activity varies according to Defence commitments, entitlement to OA fluctuates accordingly.

It is not possible to forecast how many individuals will receive OA in future financial years, nor the cost. Forecasting would require assumptions about the scale, location, and duration of future operational activity.

Operational Allowance (OA) is a location‑driven allowance that recognises increased and enduring danger in Specified Operational Locations (SOLs). The number of Service Personnel in receipt of OA reflects the number of Service Personnel deployed to SOLs.

SOL status is kept under regular review and is considered by the Permanent Joint Headquarters’ (PJHQ) Operational Records Board on a six‑monthly basis. As operational activity varies according to Defence commitments, entitlement to OA fluctuates accordingly.

It is not possible to forecast how many individuals will receive OA in future financial years, nor the cost. Forecasting would require assumptions about the scale, location, and duration of future operational activity.

Eligibility for the Wider Service Medal (WSM) in relation to Operation INTERFLEX was last reviewed by the Operational Recognition Board (ORB) on 20 November 2025. The Board recognises the challenges of prolonged separation for personnel serving on Operation INTERFLEX and Defence continues to support those affected. While this was considered during recent deliberations, prolonged separation alone does not qualify personnel for the WSM.

UK-based military operations, including Operation INTERFLEX, are eligible for WSM consideration if accompanied by a compelling Operational Impact Statement (OIS). Although several OISs have been submitted, none have yet met the criteria for eligibility. Nevertheless, UK-based activities that deliver significant operational effect may be considered in future reviews.

There are no plans to update WSM eligibility guidance at this time. The current criteria already provide flexibility for UK-based operations to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the ORB remains open to recommending the WSM for such operations in the future.

Eligibility for the Wider Service Medal (WSM) in relation to Operation INTERFLEX was last reviewed by the Operational Recognition Board (ORB) on 20 November 2025. The Board recognises the challenges of prolonged separation for personnel serving on Operation INTERFLEX and Defence continues to support those affected. While this was considered during recent deliberations, prolonged separation alone does not qualify personnel for the WSM.

UK-based military operations, including Operation INTERFLEX, are eligible for WSM consideration if accompanied by a compelling Operational Impact Statement (OIS). Although several OISs have been submitted, none have yet met the criteria for eligibility. Nevertheless, UK-based activities that deliver significant operational effect may be considered in future reviews.

There are no plans to update WSM eligibility guidance at this time. The current criteria already provide flexibility for UK-based operations to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the ORB remains open to recommending the WSM for such operations in the future.

Eligibility for the Wider Service Medal (WSM) in relation to Operation INTERFLEX was last reviewed by the Operational Recognition Board (ORB) on 20 November 2025. The Board recognises the challenges of prolonged separation for personnel serving on Operation INTERFLEX and Defence continues to support those affected. While this was considered during recent deliberations, prolonged separation alone does not qualify personnel for the WSM.

UK-based military operations, including Operation INTERFLEX, are eligible for WSM consideration if accompanied by a compelling Operational Impact Statement (OIS). Although several OISs have been submitted, none have yet met the criteria for eligibility. Nevertheless, UK-based activities that deliver significant operational effect may be considered in future reviews.

There are no plans to update WSM eligibility guidance at this time. The current criteria already provide flexibility for UK-based operations to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the ORB remains open to recommending the WSM for such operations in the future.

Eligibility for the Wider Service Medal (WSM) in relation to Operation INTERFLEX was last reviewed by the Operational Recognition Board (ORB) on 20 November 2025. The Board recognises the challenges of prolonged separation for personnel serving on Operation INTERFLEX and Defence continues to support those affected. While this was considered during recent deliberations, prolonged separation alone does not qualify personnel for the WSM.

UK-based military operations, including Operation INTERFLEX, are eligible for WSM consideration if accompanied by a compelling Operational Impact Statement (OIS). Although several OISs have been submitted, none have yet met the criteria for eligibility. Nevertheless, UK-based activities that deliver significant operational effect may be considered in future reviews.

There are no plans to update WSM eligibility guidance at this time. The current criteria already provide flexibility for UK-based operations to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the ORB remains open to recommending the WSM for such operations in the future.

The Department does not hold any contracts with Anthropic.

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible. As part of this process, senior military leaders, including the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the First Sea Lord, are fully engaged in defence planning.

No.2 Force Protection Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems Wing was deployed to the Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri before the drone attack on RAF Akrotiri on 2 March 2026.