UK MoD admits rocket launchers, machine guns are among missing weapons

World 14:00 31.03.2024

Britain’s Armed Forces appear to have lost a small arsenal of weapons that includes machine guns, assault rifles, rocket launchers and thousands of rounds of ammunition, official records show, Ednews informs via The Telegraph.

The lost or stolen arms include two general purpose machine guns (GPMG), one of which was lost by the Royal Navy at sea. The GPMG, which can fire up to 750 rounds per minute and has a range of up to 1,800 metres, is an important weapon for infantry battalions.

Other losses include a deactivated Russian rocket launcher, up to eight SA-80 rifles and several Glock pistols.

Last year, thieves stole a decommissioned First World War Lewis machine gun from the regimental headquarters of the Queen’s Royal Hussars, and a .50-calibre heavy machine gun went missing from an Army headquarters in Wiltshire.

In total, at least 30 weapons have been either lost or stolen from military bases since 2018.

Freedom of information (FoI) requests obtained by The Sunday Telegraph and NationalSecurityNews.com show that other weapons losses have included a deactivated Soviet-made AK47 assault rifle, Army cadet rifles, a deactivated Second World War Luger pistol, First and Second World War automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

All of the losses have been investigated by military police but no items have been found.

Additionally, 1,800 computers, laptops and memory sticks have been lost by defence chiefs in the past four years.

The government figures reveal that between 2018 and 2023, at least 1,400 MoD laptops, 100 computers and up to 300 USB sticks, which could hold sensitive data, also went missing.

The latest MoD figures released to MPs show that in the past two years, 361 laptops were either lost or stolen, along with 98 mobile phones, 70 computer hard drives and 50 memory sticks.

In August, 51 laptops disappeared from the MoD’s inventory and a further 50 were either lost or stolen in the first three months of last year.

Hundreds of items are reported as either being lost or stolen every year by the MoD. In 2022, a Land Rover was stolen in Kenya, along with four vehicle batteries and wheels worth some £16,000.

Night vision equipment, worth more than £2,000, was stolen, along with more than £30,000 of silverware, from Cottesmore military base.

The huge number of computer and memory stick losses will have posed a potentially huge security risk to the Armed Forces, one military expert has claimed, and investigators had to launch dozens of enquiries to establish whether the equipment contained secret or sensitive information potentially of use to foreign powers.

The FOIs also reveal that hundreds of other pieces of equipment, such as helmets, body armour, boots, respirators and diving knives and a generator were stolen from military warehouses.

Some of the details were published by Dr Andrew Murrison, the undersecretary of state at the MoD, in response to a parliamentary written question submitted by Sarah Olney MP, who described the findings as “astonishing”.

Ms Olney, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, also called for an inquiry into what went wrong and the potential risks posed by the thefts.

She said: “The Government has a duty to keep people safe, yet this revelation from the MoD should be ringing alarm bells for our national and personal security.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We take security of defence very seriously and have robust policies and procedures to prevent losses and thefts. Encryption on devices ensures any data is safeguarded and prevents access to our network.

“Where there is suspected criminal activity, we will take the necessary steps to investigate and prosecute.”

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Iran’s supreme leader claims victory over Israel, says it ‘almost collapsed’
16:45 26.06.2025
Turkish expert: 'We are proud of the Azerbaijani Army's rise to NATO level'
16:35 26.06.2025
Israel-Iran conflict reignites concerns in global economy
16:15 26.06.2025
Azerbaijani delegation visits China Media Group and Communication University
16:05 26.06.2025
Defense Minister of Azerbaijan visits Alley of Honor and Victory Park
15:55 26.06.2025
EU leaders meet to discuss sanctions, tariffs, and Middle East policy
15:40 26.06.2025
Germany calls on Iran to continue cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
15:25 26.06.2025
UNRWA chief warns of 'project to separate Palestinians from Palestine' amid deepening Gaza crisis
15:15 26.06.2025
Azerbaijan signs memorandum of understanding with Chinese company
15:05 26.06.2025
China urges NATO to stop 'stoking confrontation,' abandon 'Cold War mentality'
14:55 26.06.2025
Pashinyan: Parliament to consider nationalization of Electric Networks of Armenia on July 1
14:35 26.06.2025
Armenia arrests reps of Dashnaktsutyun leadership for two months
14:15 26.06.2025
Parviz Shahbazov attends meeting of SCO energy ministers in China
14:00 26.06.2025
UN nuclear watchdog wraps up major global nuclear emergency exercise in Romania
13:55 26.06.2025
World Bank approves $146M for recovery of power sector in Syria
13:35 26.06.2025
China’s Xi Jinping meets Central Asian leaders: Why their summit matters
13:20 26.06.2025
Ilham Aliyev speaks with his Iranian counterpart, expressing Azerbaijan's concern about regional escalation
13:00 26.06.2025
NATO countries’ budgets compared: Defence vs healthcare and education
12:40 26.06.2025
Russian defense minister highlights ties with India amid talks with counterpart
12:25 26.06.2025
At least 50 Iranian missiles hit Israel during 12-day conflict
12:20 26.06.2025
At least eight killed and hundreds hurt as Kenya protesters battle police
12:10 26.06.2025
Minsk hosting Eurasian Economic Forum 2025
12:05 26.06.2025
Yalchın Rafiyev: Each COP builds on its predecessors
11:55 26.06.2025
Iran partially reopens airspace following ceasefire with Israel
11:45 26.06.2025
Six dead in southwest China flooding
11:30 26.06.2025
Australia tightens pressure on Russia with new sanctions
11:15 26.06.2025
107th anniversary of Armed Forces celebrated in Azerbaijan's Khankandi
11:05 26.06.2025
Price of Azerbaijani oil slightly improves
10:45 26.06.2025
Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan arrested for 2 months over terrorism
10:35 26.06.2025
Gaza mediators intensifying ceasefire efforts, Hamas official says
10:25 26.06.2025
Grossi: IAEA unable to trace Iranian uranium amid hostilities
10:15 26.06.2025
UN warns of devastating civilian toll amid Gaza aid crisis
10:00 26.06.2025
First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva shared post on Armed Forces Day
09:50 26.06.2025
107 years pass since establishment of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
09:35 26.06.2025
UN relief chief visits conflict-affected communities in eastern DRC
09:15 26.06.2025
Ronaldo to extend contract with Al-Nassr
09:05 26.06.2025
Declaration in support of Guadeloupe’s decolonization adopted in Baku
19:30 25.06.2025
Türkiye to host NATO summit in 2026
19:11 25.06.2025
BIG executive director: We believe overseas territories will gain independence
19:00 25.06.2025
Qatar calls for Gaza talks amid Iran-Israel ceasefire
18:35 25.06.2025
Hamısı