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.

Push to talk – battlefield communications

Battlefield communications – the ability to send voice and data to/from higher- and lower-echelon units – is vital for command…
UK military’s 100,000 SUSAT sights show scope of Upham replacement

The UK military holds more than 140,000 weapon sights in its inventory, roughly comparable in number to the approximate 150,000…
Leonardo points to billion-euro upside in Italian MBT and IFV plan

The Italian Army will significantly augment its armoured capability over the coming years through the Armoured Infantry Combat Systems (AICS)…
UK planning for 100 Boxer AFVs delivered to British Army per year

Despite supply chain issues continuing to hinder the production of the British Army’s 600+ Boxer 8x8 armoured fighting vehicles (AFV)…
British Army Boxer: what are the benefits to UK industry?

The industrial split between the UK and Germany for the British Army’s Boxer armoured fighting vehicle programme, will see the…

Europe existing in “grey zone” between peace and war

Europe countries are already living in a “grey zone between peace and war” as the threat posed by Russia continues…
US suspends Ukraine aid: what has it given so far?

The US announcement that it will suspend military aid to Ukraine has revealed a growing rift between the Washington and…
UK defence funding rise “opportunity to invest” in country’s industry

Central the UK’s investment into defence is the demand to generate economic opportunity for the country’s industry, from large defence…
Starmer’s “irreversible path” to Ukraine Nato bid hits Trump’s reality

On the same day that a senior UK government official said it was the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s affirmation…
Definition changes and projections: the truth of the UK’s defence plan

The UK has finally set a timetable to increasing its spending on defence from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5% by…