BFBS Forces News

Ukraine war's human cost: Former British paratrooper on morale, loss and frontline survival Andrew Fox says patriotism, comradeship and faith are helping Ukrainian troops endure relentless losses

"The human cost is unlike anything I saw in Afghanistan"🗣️

Former British Army officer Andrew Fox reflects on morale on Ukraine's frontline — where soldiers fight under relentless pressure but remain driven by patriotism, trust and faith🔗⬇️

Taylor Lawrence hints at next season return as he looks to overcome Winter Olympics heartbreak Royal Marine Commando Taylor Lawrence speaks to BFBS Sport in Lillehammer after what was a disappointing Olympics for Team GB

Royal Marine Taylor Lawrence wants to end his bobsleigh career on "a better high" after Team GB's seventh-place finish in the Olympic four-man event in Milano-Cortina

Injury and a tough build-up left the team short of their medal hopes🔗⬇️

Battle Talk: A Para’s View of Ukraine - Human Cost YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

"Russians are feeding their people to the best"🗣️

Former British Army Major Andrew Fox shares frontline insights from Ukraine — breaking down urban combat, drone threats, and how infantry tactics are evolving in real time🔗

Dragon heads out from Portsmouth to take up air defence duties in the Eastern Mediterranean The Type 45 destroyer had spent the past few days alongside in Portsmouth taking on stores and munitions for her various weapon systems

HMS Dragon deploys to Eastern Mediterranean⚓️

The Type 45 destroyer has sailed from Portsmouth, armed with Aster missiles and supplies as the UK boosts regional defences🔗⬇️

LIVE | HMS Dragon sets sail for Cyprus deployment YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

Watch HMS Dragon set sail for Cyprus LIVE NOW 🔴

The Type 45 destroyer is on her way to the Mediterranean to provide vital air defence capabilities in the region and reinforce the Royal Navy’s strategic presence ⚓

Click HERE to watch🔗 ⬇️

RAF Mustangs announce pathway to develop next generation of American football coaches It's being described as another major step foward for the growing forces sport

RAF Mustangs launch new coaching pathway🏈

The reigning Inter Services champions are starting a programme to train more military American football coaches, with the first intake of 17 personnel beginning this spring🔗⬇️

Inside the defences guarding the UK’s Cyprus airbase from growing drone threats YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

UK defences in Cyprus under scrutiny

A cheap drone penetrated the UK's key base in Cyprus, exposing gaps

BFBS Forces News looks at what's keeping the base safe as Operation Epic Fury escalates🔗⬇️

Don't send a carrier just for the sake of it, former Royal Navy commodore warns Steve Prest argues a dedicated air defence asset like HMS Dragon is the best response to protect Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean

"Don't send a carrier just because you can"🗣️

A former Royal Navy commodore warns the UK must choose the right vessel for the mission in the Eastern Mediterranean 🔗⬇️

Has the Defence Secretary done enough? Take a look at what's defending RAF Akrotiri BFBS Forces News analyses the capabilities the Armed Forces have to protect Britain's base on the island amid the US-Israel war with Iran

Britain ramps up defences at RAF Akrotiri - but is it enough?🤔

Stealth jets, drone-jamming systems, and a Type 45 destroyer are heading to the Eastern Mediterranean to protect the UK's busiest overseas airbase amid the US-Israel–Iran conflict🔗⬇️

Epic Fury: Here's why the UK can't just send HMS Prince of Wales to the Gulf BFBS Forces News spoke to Vice Admiral (Ret'd) Duncan Potts, director of Universal Defence and Security Solutions, about HMS Prince of Wales and sustaining the aircraft carrier

What's needed to deploy a carrier? It's not as straightforward as it seems🛳️

To protect HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy needs to deploy a carrier group, including destroyers, frigates, submarines, aircraft and supplies🔗⬇️

Inside Turkish hunter-killer sub TCG Birinci İnönü as its crew take on key Nato training role The crew live in tight quarters, share bunks and train to give Nato ships and aircraft a serious challenge

Silent and undetected beneath the sea ⚓️

The Gur-class submarine TCG Birinci İnönü is powered by diesel-electric engines and is built to challenge surface ships, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters

Go on board🔗⬇️

Epic Fury: How the UK and its allies have been involved in the Middle East conflict so far From RAF jets flying defensive missions to the deployment of warships, this is how the UK and its allies have been playing their part

Global forces step up

On day 11 of Operation Epic Fury, the UK, Nato allies, Australia, and Turkey are boosting Gulf and Mediterranean defences, including reconnaissance aircraft, missiles, and Patriot systems🔗⬇️

Iran's a destructive force and our aim is to protect lives in this conflict, says Healey The Defence Secretary explains the role of the Armed Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean – and what action he hopes to see Tehran take

Defence Secretary defends UK presence amid Iran strikes

John Healey claims British troops in the Eastern Mediterranean are there to counter a "destructive force"🔗⬇️

On her way soon: Extra Typhoons, Wildcats and Merlin to be supported by HMS Dragon The Armed Forces assets in the Eastern Mediterranean have already been proving their worth, with numerous drones having been intercepted

HMS Dragon ready to set sail

Defence Secretary John Healey says the Royal Navy destroyer will sail to the Eastern Mediterranean as the UK boosts its military presence in the region🔗⬇️

Explosions continue in Tehran as US-Israeli strikes and Iranian counterattacks spread across the Middle East

Trump warns Iran of retaliation “20 times harder” if the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, while the UK prepares to deploy HMS Dragon.

For more🔗⬇️
forcesnews.com/epic-fury

Battle Talk: A Para’s View of Ukraine - Tactics YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

🎙️Battle Talk: A Para's View of Ukraine

Afghanistan veteran Andrew Fox joins BFBS Forces News' Simon Newton to discuss how modern tactics — and constant drone footage — are reshaping the battlefield🔗⬇️

No decision to send Royal Navy carrier to Eastern Mediterranean, No 10 insists The Government says HMS Prince of Wales is on high readiness, but no order to deploy her has been given

HMS Prince of Wales is on high readiness — but no deployment decision has been made, Downing Street says

The clarification comes after reports that the carrier’s notice to move had been cut from 14 days to five🔗⬇️

Women now in every rank of the British Army for the first time in history of the service A special breakfast at Army Headquarters in Hampshire brought together 18 servicewomen, one from every rank, to celebrate the achievement

History made🇬🇧

For the first time, servicewomen are serving in all 18 British Army ranks — from recruit to four-star general🔗⬇️

Forces Fight Night: Don't miss Army v Navy v RAF in Inter Services battle It's a tri-service battle for the ages in store at HMS Nelson on 26 March

Three services, one ring, one HUGE fight night🥊

🏅The Navy, Army and RAF will fight it out for the Inter Service Championship

Don't miss a moment🔗⬇️

Army veteran sent message by Prince Harry after competing at third Winter Paralympics Duke of Sussex sends personal message to Scott Meenagh who has previously starred at the Invictus Games

"Alright, big lad!"🗣️

🟡⚫️The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to British Army veteran and former Invictus Games competitor Scott Meenagh

The Team GB athlete — competing in his third and likely final Paralympics — was also chosen as a flag bearer🔗⬇️

Merlin helicopter equipped with Crowsnest departs RNAS Culdrose for the Middle East The Merlin helicopter can fly up to a mile in the air, giving advance warning of incoming drones or missiles

A Royal Navy Merlin has deployed from RNAS Culdrose to the Middle East to strengthen the UK's aerial threat detection

The move comes after UK forces engaged a one-way attack drone fired from Iran towards Iraq🔗⬇️

HMS Prince of Wales deployment notice cut to five days amid criticism of UK readiness The Royal Navy's flagship could set sail as early as Wednesday to protect assets in Cyprus and the Middle East

HMS Prince of Wales has been told to be ready to sail this week

The Royal Navy carrier's notice to move has reportedly been cut from 14 days to five as scrutiny grows over UK readiness in Cyprus and the Middle East🔗⬇️

The hidden conflict under the ocean: Nato’s urgent warning YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

"Training like this is how Nato makes sure it can find the threat before it finds us"🗣️

BFBS Forces News explores the dangerous strategy of anti-submarine warfare. This is exercise Dynamic Manta 26🔗

Olympians dominate bobsleigh and skeleton at Inter Services Ice Sports Championships in Lillehammer Athletes from across the UK Armed Forces competed in bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events at the 2026 Inter Services Ice Sports Championships

Sliding into success!❄️

The 2026 Inter Services Ice Sports Championships wrapped up in Lillehammer – the iconic venue from the 1994 Winter Olympics – with UK Armed Forces athletes delivering standout performances on the ice🔗⬇️

Sea Viper missiles loaded onto HMS Dragon as she prepares to sail to eastern Mediterranean Images appear to show Aster missiles for the Sea Viper weapon system being loaded onto the Type 45 air defence destroyer

HMS Dragon appears to be loading Sea Viper air defence missiles in Portsmouth before deploying to the eastern Mediterranean

The destroyer is heading to help protect UK assets near Cyprus🔗⬇️

Dynamic Manta: A close look at Nato's premier anti-submarine exercise Ten allied nations including the UK took part, operating seamlessly across the air, surface and sub-surface domains

Nato's top anti-submarine drill, Exercise Dynamic Manta, has wrapped up in the Mediterranean — with forces from 10 nations and new uncrewed tech in the mix🔗⬇️

A sledgehammer to crack a nut: Ex-fighter pilot's take on F-35 downing drone Sean Bell described the feat as surreal - but questioned the logic of using a state-of-the-art jet to take out an inexpensive UAV

"A sledgehammer to crack a nut"🗣️

A British F-35B has shot down a drone over Jordan — the first combat firing by a UK-operated F-35

Former RAF pilot Sean Bell spoke to BFBS Forces News🔗

Winning by one point: Navy and RAF play out exciting Inter Services netball clash The Royal Navy picked up a dramatic win at RAF Cosford

A one-point thriller at RAF Cosford 🗑️

The Royal Navy held possession in the closing moments to secure a 42-41 win over the RAF in open netball Inter Services action🔗⬇️

We're doing all we can to protect Cyprus, insists Defence Secretary as he thanks personnel John Healey explains how air defence measures continue to be bolstered on the island following a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri

"You can never guard against every attack"🗣️

John Healey thanked UK personnel and families in Cyprus, pledging the UK is doing all it can to defend the island

The Defence Secretary believes that the small drone "was fired from Lebanon, not from Iran"🔗⬇️

Ageing Ships, fewer Sailors: Why a Royal Navy ship is not already in Cyprus YouTube video by BFBS Forces News

A Shahed-type drone struck a hangar at RAF Akrotiri after US strikes on Iran

At the same time, there are no Royal Navy warships in the Gulf — the first time since 1980. Is the UK prepared for rising tensions in the region?🤔

Analysis with former RN Commodore Steve Prest🔗⬇️