Government launches new push to prepare UK for emergencies and hostile acts
The government will today launch a new push to prepare the UK to be more resilient for any kind of emergency, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has revealed. <p>He said the updated guidance would encourage households to be better prepared for crises such as wildfires and flooding.</p><p>Mr Streeting said the public also needed to prepare for hostile acts such as "increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks".</p><p>It follows the head of the army, General Sir Roly Walker, saying last week that political leaders were about to start <strong><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/army-chief-says-politicians-to-start-frank-conversation-with-public-to-prepare-for-war-13599891">a "frank conversation" with the public about the need to prepare for war</a></strong>.</p><p>The defence secretary was speaking at the opening of a new factory to build gun barrels.</p><p>The production of barrels for tanks and artillery pieces has resumed in the UK for the first time in two decades, with a German defence firm making the weapons.</p><p>Mr Streeting officially opened the Rheinmetall "gun hall" in Telford, Shropshire.</p><p>The sprawling facility has the capacity to produce up to 245 long, metal barrels a year and more than 50 breeches - the block of metal at the rear end of the barrel.</p><p>But such numbers would be woefully inadequate were the UK ever to face a major war.</p><p>Ukraine says it has destroyed more than 12,000 Russian tanks and more than 5,000 artillery pieces since the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago.</p><p>"Britain is back in the business of making the weapons that our armed forces need to defend the nation against our adversaries," the defence secretary said.</p><p>"From an empty site to full production in eight months, this is rapid reindustrialisation in action."</p><widget id="2"></widget><p>The new site - 11,500 square metres - has production lines for two different types of weapons system.</p><p>One is for the 120mm gun that will fit on the updated Challenger 3 tank, which has yet to enter service.</p><p>The other is a 155 mm weapons system that will be used for artillery pieces.</p><p>General Sir Roly Walker also attended the factory opening along with Armin Papperger, the German chief executive of Rheinmetall AG.</p><p>Mr Papperger is thought to be on a Russian hit list.</p><p>The Kremlin is accused of seeking to assassinate key defence industry figures in Europe as part of the a campaign of hostile action to undermine NATO's push to rearm and to support Ukraine.</p><p>The Rheinmetall boss said: "We are committed to investing in the UK for the long term, expanding our industrial footprint and working together to deliver the capabilities needed for the future.</p><p>"By combining Rheinmetall's expertise with British skills, innovation and manufacturing, we are strengthening the UK's sovereign industrial capacity, supporting the Armed Forces and contributing to the security of NATO and Europe."</p>