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The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 July 2024.

A new joint defence declaration with Germany has been signed by the Defence Secretary.

• John Healey MP makes first visits as new Defence Secretary to France, Germany, Poland and Estonia.
• In Germany he signed the most comprehensive joint defence declaration agreeing to closer cooperation as the first step in a deep new UK-German defence relationship.
• Defence Secretary meets with counterparts as part of the UK Government’s reset of relationships with European Allies – and thanks UK service personnel defending NATO’s eastern border.

A new joint defence declaration with Germany has been signed by the Defence Secretary as part of a 48-hour drive of defence diplomacy, making his first visits to France, Germany, Poland, and Estonia.

Meeting counterparts across Europe, the Defence Secretary will set out the new government’s commitment to deepen defence ties with European allies, within a ‘NATO-first’ defence strategy.

It follows last week’s European Political Community Summit, hosted in the UK, where the Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired the starting gun on resetting relations with Europe.

In a demonstration of how European security is the new government’s foreign and defence priority, the Defence Secretary and his German counterpart signed a new joint declaration on closer defence cooperation. This will be the most comprehensive defence agreement that has been signed between the UK and Germany.

Our international alliances are a crucial component of a secure Britain, and domestically the Government will ensure that defence and security are at the heart of economic growth and the prosperity of the UK.

Last night, the Defence Secretary met counterparts in France, alongside the Chiefs of Defence Staff from both nations, and thanked British personnel helping to support security at the Paris Olympics.

In Germany, the Defence Secretary signed a joint declaration, committing the UK and Germany to deepen defence cooperation. This the first step of a new defence relationship between the UK and Germany and a new UK German Defence Agreement as discussed by Olaf Scholz and Keir Starmer at the recent NATO Summit.

On Thursday, the Defence Secretary will travel to Estonia to meet UK military personnel deployed to protect NATO’s eastern border with Russia. He will pay tribute to the role UK forces are playing in the region as an example of how NATO is the cornerstone of Europe’s defence. On the visit, he will present personnel with the wider service medal.

As part of the UK’s joint defence declaration with Germany today, ministers are expected to agree six defence priorities for closer working following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, recognising the need to collaborate more closely to defend our shared values and reaffirm our commitments to NATO and collective security in Europe.

Defence Secretary John Healey, said:

In our third week, this Government is getting on with the job and resetting our relationships with European Allies to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.

These visits send a clear message that European security will be this government’s first foreign and defence priority.

Our new defence declaration between the UK and Germany will kickstart a deep, new defence relationship, built on our nations’ shared values. And in France, Poland and Estonia we will continue to strengthen our defence ties with our European Allies – as we all stand steadfast behind Ukraine.

It is a privilege to visit and thank our British troops defending NATO’s eastern border with Russia. Their presence and fortitude in the face of Putin’s aggression shows that NATO is the cornerstone of European defence.

Objectives set out in Wednesday’s joint declaration include strengthening UK and German defence industries, reinforcing Euro-Atlantic security, improving the efficiency of joint operations, confronting evolving security challenges such as the cyber domain, and supporting Ukraine.

Both countries are among the biggest providers of military and economic support to Ukraine. The UK government will continue to do so by providing £3bn of military support every year until Ukraine wins and ramping up and speeding up the delivery of vital military aid.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 July 2024.

The Ministry of Defence of Germany and the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom commit to improve and further enhance bilateral defence cooperation to better meet the common challenges of the 21st century and to best secure the common interests of both countries in defence-related areas.

Recognising the imperative for closer collaboration in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges and shared security threats and building on existing lighthouses of bilateral cooperation between Germany and the UK, such as the German-British Amphibious Engineer Battalion 130 in Minden, the Defence Ministers of Germany and the United Kingdom endeavour to embark upon a new path of enhanced partnership and defence cooperation, to promote stability in NATO’s eastern flank and in Europe as a whole and beyond for the Euro-Atlantic area. We consider closer defence cooperation as an important first step in a new relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom.

Strategic Context

In light of the escalating security concerns, exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and a deteriorating strategic environment, the preservation of European security demands a unified response. The Defence Ministers of Germany and the United Kingdom recognise the urgency of the situation and the imperative for closer collaboration to address these challenges collectively.

As staunch NATO Allies, we reaffirm our commitment to its principles, and acknowledge its indispensable role in securing our collective deterrence and defence. We recognise the need to strengthen the European contribution to NATO, which will enhance our capacity to respond effectively to evolving security threats.

Through strategic cooperation in defence procurement, research, and technological innovation, we aim to contribute within our responsibilities to bolstering our industrial capabilities and enhance our operational effectiveness. By leveraging our respective strengths and fostering interoperability, we will build a resilient partnership capable of addressing the complex security challenges facing our region.

As we confront these challenges together with partners, we are guided by our shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. By working hand in hand, Germany and the United Kingdom seek to contribute to maintaining the Alliance’s effective and credible deterrence and defence tasks. At the same time, both Germany and the United Kingdom remain committed to the security of Europe.

Priority Objectives

Strengthening Defence Industries:

Both Ministries of Defence will explore opportunities to contribute to nurturing and promoting the defence industrial base in Europe, foster joint procurement initiatives and interoperability, and advance research and development endeavours to enhance capability production and technological innovation.

Reinforcing Euro-Atlantic Security:

Affirming NATO as the cornerstone of our defence architecture, we will endeavour to do our part to strengthen NATO, bolster complementary cooperation between NATO and the EU, renew dialogue between Allies, and support collective action within international forums.

At the Eastern Flank of NATO, we are committed to enhance the cooperation in the framework of Forward Land Forces and NATO’s Advance Plans, in order to support deterrence activities and the ability to defend Allies’ territory. This also includes close coordination and cooperation within the 3+3 Defence Minister’s format, bringing together the three Baltic host nations and the three framework nations Germany, the UK and Canada.

Enhancing Interoperability:

Recognising the importance of seamless coordination, we endeavour to enhance interoperability between the German Bundeswehr and United Kingdom Armed Forces across all domains and strengthen standardisation in NATO.

Addressing Emerging Threats:

Confronting evolving security challenges, including hybrid warfare, cyber threats, and climate change, we shall explore joint efforts aimed at enhancing our collective resilience and response capabilities within the responsibility of our Ministries.

Supporting Ukraine:

Both Ministers aim to coordinate long-term military support for Ukraine, fostering stability and bolstering the country’s defence capabilities in the face of external aggression.

Deep Precision Strike:

The Ministries of Defence of Germany and the United Kingdom will, together with partners, undertake a long-term, comprehensive cooperation in the field of long-range capabilities.

Intergovernmental Cooperation Structures

To facilitate strategic direction and oversight, our intended closer cooperation may include the establishment of a senior-level group tasked with steering defence cooperation and annual meetings with Defence Ministers. In addition, we propose enhanced dialogue between parliamentarians on defence matters as well as joint strategic planning fora.

Defence Industrial Collaboration

Drawing upon existing frameworks such as OCCAR, Eurofighter/Typhoon programme and Boxer User Group, and our bilateral Ministerial Equipment and Capability Cooperation (MECC), the Defence Ministers of Germany and the United Kingdom commit to fostering joint procurement initiatives, advancing NATO standardisation, and promoting technology sharing. The Ministries will also share views on defence exports in the framework of joint programmes, including through regular consultations, which enhance our shared security and support our respective defence industrial bases. We aspire to share our Ministries’ views regarding our defence industrial strategies, underpinned by structured dialogue and cooperative frameworks across land, air, and maritime domains.

Military to military

We will explore opportunities to increase our military cooperation, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to emerging security challenges. We intend to place a renewed emphasis on defence diplomacy, interoperability, military doctrine development and high-level strategic exchanges. We are committed to enhancing focused exchanges, fostering robust dialogue, and mutually supporting initiatives. Interoperability will remain a cornerstone of our partnership, strengthened by joint training programs and shared technological advancements.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 July 2024.

A significant number of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) have been ordered by the Government from Thales UK for the supply of the versatile, precision weapon to UK Armed Forces.

The order is worth £176 million and will equip current and future short-range air defence capabilities for the British Army, such as Stormer combat vehicles, and be fired by the Royal Navy’s Martlet maritime anti-surface missile system deployed from Wildcat helicopters.

Weighing only 13kg each, LMM provides a precision solution against threats such as drones, helicopters, other aircraft, and small, fast maritime targets.

Supporting 135 jobs at Thales’ site in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the contract placed by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) – the MOD’s procurement arm – will also support economic growth through small and medium enterprises and the local supply chain.

Hundreds of LMMs have also been gifted to Ukraine, as they have fought to repel the illegal Russian invasion which started in February 2022.

Maria Eagle, Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, said:

In a more dangerous world, we must continue to provide weapons to Ukraine but also replenish our own stocks.

Our new order of Lightweight Multirole Missiles from Thales UK will support this, providing our Armed Forces with versatile missiles that can be used against threats such as drones, helicopters and small maritime targets.

This contract is also a great example of how defence investment can support economic growth and sustain jobs in the UK for years to come.

LMM were first fired from a Wildcat in the Bay of Bengal during the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group deployment of 2021, marking initial operating capability for the Martlet system.

Martlet has since supported operations including Operation Prosperity Guardian, helping to protect commercial ships from attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Andy Start, DE&S CEO, said:

As we have seen during UK military operations and when used by our Ukrainian allies, LMM is a versatile and valuable missile in a variety of battlespaces.

Now more than ever we need to ensure UK Armed Forces and our allies are fully equipped to defeat the evolving global threats we face. This order with Thales UK is a key element of that collective effort.

The order follows a £69 million contract placed by DE&S earlier this year, also with Thales UK, to secure the supply chain for key components used in the manufacture of the missiles.

Production at the Thales Belfast site has doubled since the conflict in Ukraine as the global demand for air defence capabilities has increased.

Alex Cresswell, CEO of Thales UK, said:

Today’s contract announcement reflects the enduring partnership between the UK MOD and Thales for the provision of lightweight weapons.

I look forward to continuing to work closely together with the Ministry of Defence to deliver the capabilities our Armed Forces need, and to make industry more resilient to deal with increasing demand.