Military photographers’ favourite photos of the Armed Forces in 2023
Stunning photographs captured by a network of Armed Forces photographers deployed around the world offer a glimpse into the vital work of our military personnel at home and abroad in 2023.
These breath-taking images depict UK Armed Forces personnel on deployment and taking part in exercises across the globe, undergoing extreme cold weather training in Norway and Estonia, on medical recovery exercises in Cyprus and the Atlantic, and navigating the Indo-Asia Pacific.
Armed Forces photographers also captured landmark national events which the Armed Forces played a role in, including the Coronation of HM King Charles III, the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, and the State Opening of Parliament.
Military photographers play a crucial role in defending their country and capturing the essence of life in the Armed Forces.
Behind every click of the shutter is an individual with a dual identity — foremost as a soldier, sailor, or aviator, and secondly as a skilled photographer.
They deploy not only with their cameras, but also with their rifles.
Panay Triantafillides, Editor of Defence Imagery at the Ministry of Defence, said:
Our photographers who are first and foremost sailors, soldiers, and aviators play an essential role in providing accountability and transparency to the public by providing images and videos of defence activity at home and abroad.
The versatility of our photographers is clearly evident in this year’s release. 2023 has been a historic year that has impressed upon us the enduring relationship between the UK Armed Forces and the Royal Family.
The photographs also show unexpected scenes from life serving in the Armed Forces. In one photo, the crew of Royal Navy ship HMS Lancaster is shown diving with turtles off the coast of Oman.
Almost 7,000 British sailors, soldiers, and aviators will spend Christmas 2023 deployed overseas, sacrificing time with their family and friends to keep their country safe.
At home in the UK, Royal Air Force aviators are ready to scramble Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth to monitor any enemy aircraft which approach UK airspace this Christmas.
Somewhere deep in the ocean, a Royal Navy nuclear attack submarine continues to provide the nation’s nuclear deterrent in a patrol that has continued uninterrupted for 54 years.
And 60 soldiers from the Household Division of the British Army will continue to guard royal palaces in the nation’s capital throughout the Christmas period.
These photos and thousands of other images and videos are made freely available on the MOD’s Defence Imagery website for the public to view and enjoy.