The United Kingdom and Germany have signed a new joint defence declaration, committing to enhance bilateral cooperation in defence-related areas.
The agreement was signed on 24 July 2024 by UK Defence Secretary John Healey and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.
The declaration highlights the necessity for unified responses to evolving geopolitical threats, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“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,” the press release stated.
In response to increasing security concerns, the agreement sets out several priority objectives. These include strengthening defence industries, reinforcing Euro-Atlantic security, enhancing interoperability, addressing emerging threats such as cyber warfare, and supporting Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
“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,” the press release noted.
The agreement outlines efforts to promote the defence industrial base in Europe, foster joint procurement, and advance research and development for technological innovation. The partnership aims to address complex security challenges through improved joint operations and efforts in areas like hybrid warfare and climate change resilience.
“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,” the statement added.
The declaration also emphasises long-term military support for Ukraine, aiming to foster stability and strengthen the country’s defence capabilities against external threats. Both Germany and the UK have been significant providers of military and economic aid to Ukraine, and the agreement seeks to coordinate and enhance this support.
What’s actually been agreed? Is it just the few words as listed above or have any actual goals or projects been confirmed
Boxer RCH-155 SPG is one of those projects.
What I really loved about this article, is that the embedded advert was offering warbird experiences at Duxford and showed a Spitfire shooting down an ME109 😅
Co operation with the Germans is not completely new, we’ve had a joint M3 Engineer Bn for some time.
The problem is that this framework was agree when the Germans were going to invest money.
Now the constitutional court has pulled the financial rug the Germans gave taken the money from the easiest place – defence & UKR…..
So, if anything, the German forces will be in a worse position as they have kicked off loads of projects on the back of money that will now be taken away.
So Pistorius warned months ago of possible war in this decade, and the German government ignore that?
No wonder Trump is dubious, he’s right.
If you Google German Constitutional Court and Debt Ceiling that should get you what you need.
Essentially they gave a hard debt ceiling and a budget was set that breached it and the court said Nah.
Cheers, I’ll look it up.
Didn’t have to take the money from Defence however. If they don’t reach 2% in the next couple of years they should exit NATO.
Because that would benefit anyone how exactly Comrade?
Easy. It would force them to fund their own D a d stop leaching off of the US & UK.
Haha, omg that’s the most ridiculous and stupid statement I’ve heard all day: Germany is surrounded on all sides by friendly powers, and has a constiution that prohibits the use of it’s armed forces in aggressive wars, the only likely scenario that German Soldiers will be deployed into Combat will be in a NATO Article V scenario. Gernany outside of NATO would not only not be forced to “fund their own D (whatever that’s supposed to mean)” but would actually have a green light to spend EVEN less, as the threat of war once they’re out of NATO is significantly… Read more »
Are you really that deluded. You don’t think if they were outside NATO/ the US withdrew the Putin would want Germany back.
Someone doesn’t know geography…
So eject them from NATO Russia invades takes Germany ‘back’ exploits all their technology and manpower and turns it on the rest of Europe. In what World is that good for us? Indeed in what Worldwould Europe have snowflakes chance in Hell surviving? Especially as many other Countries to the east would fall in line to try to salvage some form of survival. I have read some mad proposals in my time but the delusion in this one in a World where the US may be a feckless friend is beyond delusion. Esp as they are the only ones with… Read more »
The Germans just cut aid next year to Ukraine by 50% to shore up their own budget and now Hungary is suing Ukraine and threatening any EU member that sends aid to Ukraine.
None of this excuses the shit show that is the Republican Party however it really means the UK should i reevaluate all its defence relationships. I’m all for a boycott on working with any of the more clown-like counties.
I think we should focus efforts on the JEF countries and do our best to ensure all our military capabilities have complete sovereign control starting with our deterrent.
To paraphrase an old American expression, “Don’t let the screen door hit you in the rear on the way out.”
I read it as Germany reduces its UKR contributions in measure with the extra funding UKR will get from the interest on frozen Russian funds. So that UKR will not recieve any less support that already promised. Instead of NATO countries paying as much, Russian funds will be used to meet the same commitments, so NATO pays a little less.
The main cuts were to foreign ministry budget, defence spending is up to 2% of GDP now
It has stalled the €100Bn investment plan.
New contracts aren’t being signed….
Bit more blather. Thank God for the Poles.
Hi folks hope all is well.
I ask you experts here on the subject of the German defence budget. If I recall Germany was to uplift their defence budget, placing the UK in third place on NATOs listing. I often now see articles reference that Germany has now changed the defence budget following a review of their country’s financial status.
Cheers
George
The Germans won’t reach the 2% target, much of the target is being maid via economic aid to Ukraine (counted as German military spending) but is now being massively scaled back by 50% next year.
that´s not correct. Defence budget will be above 2%, as 22 billion € of the 100 billion € defence special fund, will be added.
There’s a fair bit of nuance to the 50% cut….worth reading this thread
https://twitter.com/deaidua/status/1815454867806195757
I think, you find that they will.
I noted that when the Franco-German MBT project was finalised the UK was specifically excluded, sorry I do not trust the Germans.
? We are observers on this project. You need to trust the Germans. We worked together on Tornado, have bought M3 rig and they designed CR3 turret and co-build the vehicle and have largely developed our next SPG.
Sorry Graham but I think you are being naive here, we DO have a certain history with them you know ^.^
Colin, Might that certain history be when they were led by the madman Adolf Hitler some 80-90 years ago? Germany has moved on since. They re-formed the German armed forces and joined NATO way back in 1955. Naive? – I know the Germans very well. I served in Germany 4 times (once post-unification). The Germans and us were both in NORTHAG and they were good allies.I visited German units a number of times professionally and socially. I spoke colloquial and technical German. My infant son’s life was saved by an excellent German military doctor. As stated we have collaborated on… Read more »
I suspect he has been talking to Mr Mainwaring.
Yes, we imported our Monarchs from them, held large parts of Germany in a personal union, had significant portions of the British Army, such as the KGL, raised in Germany, and have a long history of working together with the Germans against the French. Minden, Blenheim, Waterloo… we do have a long and storied history of working with the Germans.
Not to forget a great many of the troops in the North American campaign against the French and into the Revolutionary war were Hanoverians.
What you mean our Royal Family?
Abdicated they continually block exports all other countries in the consortium want to make. Not trustworthy. I wouldn’t partner with them again. And that’s without all of the leaks to Russia including technology
Well, we are partnered with Germany and German companies and have been for decades – Rheinmetall is partnered with BAE to produce CR3. We got our M3 rigs from EWK, a German company. CRARRV has an excellent German winch. Boxer is at its core a German vehicle, and we are buying lots of those. Ditto with the RCH-155 SPG.
And what happens when we want to export them
We are building all but the first few Boxers ourselves and CR3 is built in the UK.
For an equipment built in Germany such as the M3 rig, then if we wanted to gift any to Ukraine (maybe not a realistic example but is illustrative), we might have to get the German Government’s approval – its just paperwork. The Bundestag agreed to the export of Leo2s offered up to Ukraine by multiple European nations.
We letting them into Tempest ?
I flipping well hope not! Given Labour’s plans for closer ties though it would not surprise me.
No we are not letting them in to GCAP.
…and acheiving ?
I guess watch this space mate.
Here’s an idea, could German factories have spare capacity to build Boxers for the British Army? Our home build rate is so glacial it’ll be decades before the order is fulfilled, never mind the approved funding for an increased buy to over 1,000.
To be honest DM don’t really like the SPG Boxer ?
Neither do I. But I mean the main Boxer order. 60 a year I’d read here?
That’ three of us then. Never have, never will. Tracks and wheels ? YUK.
60 a year isn’t likely to be an industrial limit on factory production. I assumed it was a financial one. So tell them to ramp up in the UK from next year if the money can be found, although we all know it isn’t there right now. If it needs some engines or drive trains to be built in Germany for a while, sobeit, but there’s no way the two factories can’t produce more than 60 bases a year between them.
Perhaps we need a third factory building the tracked bases. We really should have tested those out by now.
Thanks for that.
We haven’t ordered Boxers with tracked bases.
It’s probably not even a financial one, it’ll be an industrial strategy one: By keeping the production rate low, we keep the industrial capability to build them for longer.
Build all of them at once and the factory closes in a couple years.
Over 10 years to satisfy the first 2 tranches totalling 623. Then there should be further tranches. Goodness knows when the Boxer SPG will be built.
So slow mate. If Warrior goes in a few years, our Bns in the AI Bdes are on foot?
That is a worry. HMG is so partial to capability gaps, as it saves money. Saved a load of money by not having carriers for 10 years!
I’m just going by the Warrior OSD? Wasn’t it pretty soon?
The last word seems to have come from Cartlidge. Reported in UKDJ articel of 20 Dec 23 entitled: “How many Warrior armoured vehicles are in service?”…. ….here is an extract: “According to a response to a Parliamentary written question, there are currently 625 Warrior vehicles in service. Here’s the full breakdown. James Cartlidge, The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, stated: “There are currently 625 Warrior in service. Activity is ongoing to draw the Warrior fleet down to the post-Integrated Review 21 funded position of 540 platforms and to reflect the Future Soldier structure. On current planning, Warrior will be… Read more »
OK, a bit further out than I thought.
An earlier pronouncement from the Tory government said Warrior OSD would be ‘from the middle of this decade’. Of course the new regime may have another plan!
Essential of course that there is no substantive capability gap between Warrior exiting service and Boxer arriving – otherwise we could not deploy either or both of the ABCTs.
There’ll be a riot in the Labour party ( Sorry, unions ) if anything is built abroad. I think it has more to do with Labour “internationalism”, something they love to say, except when you want to be international ! 😏
Germans are building the first 100+ Boxers for UK.
What a waste of paper.
Great to read all the comments. Seems all have degrees in economics, warfare, international law etc etc.
Then of course the political experts seems they know all.
With such abundance of knowledge from so many can anyone tell me why the whole world is in such a sorry state.
Germany cutting defence budget, then we sign this. They need us more than we need them