United Kingdom Ministry of Defence

Stories

France sends troops and air defenses to protect Saudi oil port Yanbu

As of September 2026: Providing defensive support to Saudi air defense

France will send troops, radar systems, and air-defense equipment to protect Yanbu, Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil export terminal, President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday. Saudi Arabia is also lining up support from Pakistan and Turkey under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, and the UN Security Council on Friday affirmed Riyadh's right to self-defense.

Updated Sep 26

AUKUS ships its first hardware

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Funding the first Pillar Two signature project

The Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) pact, unveiled in September 2021, promised nuclear-powered submarines not arriving in Australia until at least 2032. Five years on, the partnership has finally produced a piece of joint hardware, and it is not a submarine.

Updated May 31