Trump makes the tills ring

Your weekly dose of defence news, biased opinions and poorly curated content. You’re welcome.

The UK rolled out the red carpet for Trump’s second state visit, but it seems to have paid off with some $200bn of investment pledged. In defence, a £1.5bn partnership with Palantir has been signed, putting AI at the heart of future warfare. The deal will see Palantir make London its European defence HQ and create 350 jobs, while £750m of contracts will flow to UK Defence over five years, focused on battlefield data, targeting and decision-making.

The Pentagon has received its first official briefing on Golden Dome, the $175bn missile‑shield programme aimed at countering ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles. The system will combine a satellite layer with three land‑based layers, covering the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX and Boeing are all expected to compete for contracts, with a full implementation plan due in November.

Considering just £1bn was earmarked for air‑defence infrastructure in the UK Defence Review earlier this year, the eye‑watering sums being spent in the US might raise questions about how seriously the air threat is being taken in the UK.

We talked last week about the Russian/Belarus exercise - Zapad 2025. Well, it turns out India has now sent troops - 65 to be exact - to take part in the wargaming. This may not be a big number, but it delivers a big message: Delhi is more than willing to work with Russia if US trade deals continue to hurt India. This poses a problem for the West as it tries to maintain a united front against Moscow.

Big events from the past, covered in brief and probably inaccurately.

On 15 September 1940, the Royal Air Force achieved a decisive victory over the Luftwaffe in what became known as Battle of Britain Day. RAF pilots flew relentless sorties to defend London and southern England, repelling a massive German air attack.

The day marked a turning point in World War II: Germany’s failure to gain air superiority forced Hitler to abandon Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of Britain. The victory boosted Allied morale and ensured Britain remained a base for future operations, including D‑Day.

Changing things up? This is where we briefly look at career options from across the civvy world - everything goes here so expect some absolute drivel. Sometimes Forces Assist can help place you, sometimes we can’t. Either way we can offer advice.

They get a bad rep but Estate Agents actually have a pretty good gig. There are jobs nationwide and you’re out and about, meeting people all day. If you know what you’re doing, there is no reason you can’t earn good money.

We talk about this in more detail on our insta:

We’re currently hiring for shift-based security guards and vehicle patrol drivers in North London. If you’re looking for work, or know someone seeking part-time or full-time opportunities in North London - get in touch here (FYI we’ll give you some cash if your referral lands the job).

Cheers,

Team Forces Assist