Nicholas Drummond
@nicholadrummond
UK-based defence strategist, advisor, and commentator with a background in the British Army, McKinsey, and European defence industry. Advisor to KNDS Germany.
The British Army is acquiring 523 Boxer 8x8 multi-role armoured vehicles. 1⃣Proven protection 2⃣Excellent on-road & off-road mobility 3⃣Modular design with mission modules that can be swapped within 60 minutes 4⃣Go anywhere, do anything flexibility Go Fast. Go hard. Go home.
"Support among lawmakers appears to be growing to continue the Air Force’s pursuit of an E-7 #Wedgetail airborne early warning fleet. The Senate bill would add $700 million for E-7 prototyping..The House bill added nearly as much, at $600 million" ~Via @ASForcesMag
Finally the thread on newly revealed SECRET plans to conduct a parachute assault and SAS raid on Uganda as part of a NEO may interest @jeromestarkey @larisamlbrown @haynesdeborah @shashj @FennellJW @nicholadrummond @TomSharpe134 @OnthisdayRN @gordoncorera @marcogiann
British Army infantry battalions are getting UAS platoons. This is fantastic news. But, to be fair, every infantry platoon probably needs to be a UAS platoon!
With the increasing demand for drone technology in tactical warfare, BFBS joined 2 Para UAS Platoon at Evolve Dynamics HQ last week to get hands-on experience with some of the latest UAS equipment 👀💥 🤝 @TheParachuteReg
Latest news article: F-35 jet stranded in India for 37 days recovered to HMS Prince of Wales off Australia navylookout.com/f-35-jet-stran…
Reposting this because the RQ-42 is such a significant development.
A fantastic day at RIAT today. Most enjoyable. Most interesting thing I saw wasn’t flying… yet. It was @GeneralAtomics RQ-42 collaborative combat aircraft (loyal wingman). Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is needed to make this work. According to GA this is two years away.
HMS Prince of Wales in Darwin. This is a deeply impressive picture. Full complement of F-35Bs plus Merlin ASW helicopters. It has taken a long time, but we got there.
The Boxer RCT30 IFV / CFV previews an important new trend. Its 30 mm cannon can be used to engage both aerial and ground targets - thanks to programmable airburst ammunition. In an era of drone proliferation the ability to perform dual roles is non-negotiable.
An interesting article written by the leaders of US Army's III Armored Corps arguing that tanks are not dead yet. It asserts the ongoing reliance of armoured forces despite valid concerns being raised by the proliferation of drones, loitering munitions, and ATGM. The authors…
Ukraine, Gaza, and Nagorno-Karabakh didn’t kill the tank — they showed how not to use it. ow.ly/SRMT30sOaXB
Gepard speaks powerfully to today's force modernisation challenges. It is highly effective despite being 50 years old, because the requirements that defined it were simple and focused. Complexity is the enemy of affordability, speed of acquisition, and combat utility.
British expert: Time for new armor concepts in Europe defence-blog.com/british-expert… @nicholadrummond
Superb picture of a Type 45 destroyer.
Thankyou @RFATidespring for the photo. Taken during our RAS yesterday. @COMUKCSG @NATO #CSG25
Keane: Ukraine went from garage-built drones to producing 4–5M annually small FPVs to long-range killers. This tech, born from war and innovation, is important for the U.S. needs. As drone warfare dominates, Ukraine’s ingenuity is now critical to America’s defense industry. 1/
Reflecting on various conversations at RIAT, I would make the following points about the future of UK combat air: 1️⃣Britain lacks a critical mass of combat aircraft, something that will get worse as Tranche 1 Typhoons are retired. We need to deter Putin / Russia now, not in a…
A fantastic day at RIAT today. Most enjoyable. Most interesting thing I saw wasn’t flying… yet. It was @GeneralAtomics RQ-42 collaborative combat aircraft (loyal wingman). Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is needed to make this work. According to GA this is two years away.
Can see this or something very similar being an extremely useful for aircraft carriers, and, in particular, for the UK's Crowsnest replacement.
Did you know that UAEW stands for Unmanned Airborne Early Warning? @GenAtomics_ASI will integrate our Airborne Early Warning sensors with their unmanned MQ-9B platform. #UAEW
Since being appointed in August 2024, @Boeing 's new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has implemented what is starting to look like a stunning turnaround. He has reset the Company's culture, refocusing it on engineering and quality. He has ramped up production and deliveries. He has restored…
Small, low-cost 4x4 armoured vehicles with decent off-road mobility and Level III / IV protection have become a vital capability. While transporting groups of 3-4 soldiers safely around the battlespace, they are ideal for launching and controlling drones / loitering munitions…
