‘Weapons of the future' will keep Putin’s attention from Europe, says defence sec as landmark deal with Germany signed
22 October 2024, 22:30 | Updated: 22 October 2024, 23:33
The UK is to sign a landmark defence deal with Germany which will bring the two nations "closer together than ever before" - due to the threat of Russian aggression.
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Ahead of the "first-of-its-kind" agreement being signed, Defence Secretary John Healey told LBC the new deal is designed to deter Russia from moving its sights from military action in Ukraine to the rest of Europe.
"This is Europe's two biggest defence spenders, Europe's two biggest defence forces, joining together," he told Political Correspondent Aggie Chambre.
The Trinity House Agreement will reportedly boost the economy, investment, and create up to 400 jobs - paving the way for a new artillery gun barrel factory to open in the UK using British steel.
German planes will also operate from a base in Scotland under the pact under plans to patrol the North Atlantic for Russian submarines.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has demonstrated he wanted to "reset" relations with the European Union's key players and the defence deal is the first pillar in a planned wider UK-Germany treaty.
"This is what it means in practice," Mr Healey told LBC.
"Less than two months after the election we've got a deep defence agreement between two lead European nations.
"By coming together we can strengthen Europe's security".
"This is the signal of greater developing cooperation between our two nations in the future".
'Weapons of the future'
The agreement will also see the Nato allies working together on developing long-range strike weapons that can travel further than the UK's existing Storm Shadow missiles.
Mr Healey added these are "weapons of the future".
He described the kind of weapons as a signal to Vladimir Putin "do not attack Europe".
"We have the strength, we have the weaponry to be able to do you serious damage.
"That's what deterrents really means".
Mr Healey said the new pact should deter "any thought that Putin might have that he turns his attention from Ukraine onto the rest of Europe".
"That's why we say the defence of Europe starts in Ukraine. But we've got to do more to defend Europe as well".
He added the new long-range weapons are "Germany and the UK saying we will pool our technology, pool our experts, pool our efforts for what may be needed".
The UK and Germany will also collaborate on developing new land-based and aerial drones.
'Milestone moment'
In a statement, John Healey said: "The Trinity House Agreement is a milestone moment in our relationship with Germany, and a major strengthening of Europe's security.
"It secures unprecedented levels of new co-operation with the German armed forces and industry, bringing benefits to our shared security and prosperity, protecting our shared values and boosting our defence industrial bases.
"This landmark agreement delivers on the Government's manifesto commitment to strike a new defence relationship with Germany - less than four months since winning the election in July - and we will build on this new co-operation in the months and years ahead.
"I pay tribute to our negotiating teams who have worked hard at pace to deliver this."
The submarine-hunting planes will fly from Scotland, patrolling the North Atlantic.
Under the agreement, the Ministry of Defence said German P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will "periodically" operate out of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, potentially armed with UK-supplied torpedoes, helping to secure the North Atlantic.
In response to the potential threat from Russian activity at sea, the allies will also work together to protect underwater cables.
The agreement is set to bring nearly half a billion-pound economic boost through the new Rheinmetall factory, which will see the UK make artillery gun barrels for the first time in a decade using steel made by Sheffield Forgemasters.
Mr Healey added 100 jobs will be created from the factory - with 300 more from the supply chain.
"And that will just be the start," he said.
The first artillery gun barrels are expected to be produced in 2027.
German defence minister Boris Pistorius said: "We must not take security in Europe for granted.
"Russia is waging war against Ukraine, it is increasing its weapons production immensely and has repeatedly launched hybrid attacks on our partners in eastern Europe.
"With the Trinity House Agreement, we are showing that the Nato allies have recognised what these times require and are determined to improve their deterrence and defence capabilities.
"As it lays the foundation for future projects, the Trinity House Agreement is an important contribution to this.
"It is particularly important to me that we co-operate even more closely to strengthen Nato's eastern flank and to close critical capability gaps, for instance in the field of long-range strike weapons."
The Trinity House Agreement includes:
- New long-range strike weapons – working jointly to rapidly develop a new system that can fire even further and be more precise in its targeting than any current system. ·
- New boost for British industry – a new artillery gun barrel factory in the UK, supporting more than 400 jobs, being built with British steel, and bringing nearly half a billion-pound economic boost to the UK over 10 years.·
- New cooperation to strengthen the Eastern Flank - the armies training and exercising more together, using the front as a catalyst for developing new ways of fighting. ·
- Land Industrial Cooperation - cooperation on Boxer armed vehicles and kickstarting collaboration of land-based drones.·
- Protecting critical underwater infrastructure – working together to protect the vital cables in the seabed on the North Sea. This includes exploring new offboard undersea surveillance capabilities to improve detection of adversary activity.·
- German planes in Scotland - German P8 aircraft will periodically operate out of Lossiemouth to help protect the North Atlantic.·
- New drones – working towards drones that could operate alongside our fighter jets, as well as drones that can be used by other military force. ·
- Exploration and development of new Maritime Uncrewed Air System capabilities.·
- New Ukraine support – new joint work to enable German Sea King helicopters to be armed with modern missile systems as well as work on capability coalitions. ·
- Joint work with partners to integrate air defence systems to better protect European air space against the threat of long-range missiles, building on work agreed at the NATO Defence Ministers meeting just last week.
