The strategic geography of the North Atlantic does not end at the GIUK Gap. It extends northward into the Barents and Norwegian Seas and onward into the Arctic Ocean, where changing environmental conditions, revived Russian force posture and widening global maritime competition reshape what was once a largely frozen flank. The region is not becoming a new theatre in isolation, but rather a return to the long-standing logic of bastion defence, maritime chokepoints and the protection of sea lines of communication that characterised the latter decades of the Cold War.

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Nick Watts writes:

MOD and SMEs

On 28th January, the MOD announced the launch of a bespoke £20 million fund to offer accelerated contracts to small, innovative British startups who have had limited or no business contact with the Ministry of Defence. The fund is part of the government's commitment to make Britain the best place to start and grow a defence business.

As set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy, the government sees defence as an engine for growth, "and small businesses are the backbone of UK defence, bringing the innovation, agility and fresh thinking that UK Armed Forces need to transform and stay ahead of increasing and evolving threats."

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