All articles by Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas

Richard is editor-in-chief for defence and transport at GlobalData. He has worked the UK defence beat since 2014, and previously the defence and diplomatic beats in Muscat, Oman, from 2008-2013.

UK Minister ‘sick and tired of journalists’ talking down military

UK Minister for Defence Readiness blasts “journalists and armchair generals” as defence rows and budget pressures mount UK forces are…
Fact Check: Starmer’s claim on Labour Government’s shipbuilding record

Starmer said Labour is boosting naval defence, with £300m more for shipbuilding and “13 ships on order,” contrasting this with…
UK official suggests HMS Dragon ‘still available’ for air defence

HMS Dragon docked for maintenance soon after arriving to cover Cyprus, sparking confusion over its readiness The delay and rushed…
How the UK gave away its mine hunting fleet

UK removed its Gulf minehunters with no ready replacement Hormuz crisis: UK lacks MCM ships in region and enough escorts…
UK admits Russian submarines operated over subsea cables for a month

UK says Russian submarines operated for weeks in its EEZ near undersea cables UK and Norway tracked them with a…

Does it make sense for the UK to sell its Batch 1 OPVs?

UK reportedly considering selling HMS Tyne, Mersey and Severn to Uruguay for about $20m each Sale could cut OPV running/support costs and fund other defence needs Risk: fewer…
Nato estimates UK defence spending is now below alliance average

Nato now puts UK 2025 defence spend at 2.31% of GDP (down from 2.4%) UK is below Nato averages and behind many allies, despite pledges…
UK Defence Secretary claims Royal Navy has 17 frigates and destroyers

Healey wrongly said the RN has 17 frigates and destroyers; despite being the Defence Secretary Available strength is far fewer…
US opens funding tap to boost submarine manufacturing

US-based General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) has been awarded a $15.4bn cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract…
Why can’t Royal Navy submarines operate under polar ice?

Royal Navy Arctic under-ice capability gap: HMS Trenchant broke through metre-thick ice during ICEX 2018, with the UK reaching an eight-year pause in…