The United Kingdom and Germany are expanding their military and cyber cooperation as part of the first anniversary of the Trinity House Agreement on Defence, signed in 2024 to strengthen European and NATO security.
During a joint visit to RAF Lossiemouth, Defence Secretary John Healey and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced new initiatives that will see the two nations’ armed forces working more closely together in the air, at sea, and in cyberspace.
A new Trinity House “Lighthouse Project” will link the UK’s Cyber and Specialist Operations Command with Germany’s Cyber and Information Domain Service, enabling secure, real-time data sharing with NATO allies through a cloud-based digital system designed to defend against cyberattacks. The two countries will also intensify work to safeguard NATO’s logistics and transport networks from cyber threats.
In the coming months, a German Navy P-8A will operate from Lossiemouth for the first time, ahead of joint anti-submarine missions in the North Atlantic. Healey said the partnership showed that “the UK and Germany are working closer than ever to keep our two countries and Europe safe,” adding that it demonstrated “unity and strength to our adversaries.”
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that German companies have pledged £800 million in UK investment over the next decade, creating around 600 skilled jobs in areas such as artillery manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and uncrewed systems. Key projects include Rheinmetall’s new Telford factory producing gun barrels with Sheffield Forgemasters steel, Helsing’s £350 million maritime drone plant in Plymouth, and new ARX Robotics and Stark facilities for autonomous systems and drones.
The Trinity House framework has also accelerated cooperation on advanced capabilities, including a Deep Precision Strike weapon system with a 2,000-kilometre range and joint procurement of Sting Ray torpedoes.
Shame there is no money, or none given by this Govt for defence until sometime on an unknown date. In contrast.
Germany is getting its act together.
Those 212 CD subs, €800 m euros and a crew size of 30. If the Canadians buy them as well, add to the UK,Norwegian and German P-8 s , that’s a strong capability for the North Atlantic.
Meanwhile France aiming for a Rafale force of 280. We will have 100 Typhoon and 38 F-35b.
RFAs being rotated for crews and the defence minister offering resources up for a Ukraine amd probably Gaza.
The current consensus is that the Canadians will likely go for the Korean KSS-III design, which is cheaper, larger, incorporates a VLS and can be delivered much faster than the German alternative.
You hope that UK numbers will be topped up if the money, priorities, personnel and the need is there.
Talking of Anglo-German relations thought i read somewhere that Germany was developing a dual use torpedo, having Anti-torpedo capabilities. Can the latest StringRay be used in that capacity? Could be a very useful additional layer of self defence especially those ships fitted with the TWS.
~100 Typhoon w/Mk.2 radars with advanced & unique EW/ EA including workd’s 1st rotating repositioner allowing it to track @>90° with variable speed ram jet Meteor & F35 is as good if not better than US F22 & F15E combo. Our 4.5gen w/meteor is far superior, their 5th gen better.
No other airforce in Europe has that capability.
Capability Vs numbers.
I think there are only 38 radar 2 being ordered , in service sometime around 2030.
We can’t integrate our own weapons on F35B other than Asraam. Of the 38 they are fought over, by the RN and RAF, PW4 is the only weapon option. Unlike France we have no air launched anti ship missile.
Our 100 Typhoon are worked hard on QRA, Falklands and middle east.
Our carriers go out every couple of years with scant escort number.
We can’t refuel P8, watchkeeper , nor Wedgetail
We have given substantial stocks of storm shadow to Ukraine with no evidence of further orders. We don’t know what variant of FCASW we are getting or when.
So you agree the tranche 3 mk.2’s w/f35 is unsurpassed ^^
As for the rest I dont disagree.
I blame all the people who spent their adult lives voting for the to**ers. They’re everywhere.
A nice dollop of 20-30 new Typhoons or more upgrades at least, joining Germamy-Italy-Spain. You have to ask, if they’re doing it why isn’t the UK? Is it just about the money? When is being too lean actually quite risky and counter productive?
There is a report tonight that the government has told forces chiefs to look for £2 billion cuts next year to cope with an “overspend”> On and on goes the tragedy.
Cooperation between Germany and UK is great news. With Germany finally moving to meet and then exceed the old NATO 2% spend, the combined power of the two countries should be enough to match Russia. The benefits for land industrial regeneration are obvious.
How either country will afford the 3.5 + 1.5% Trump standard, I have no idea. The rumoured demand for £2b of savings is worrying because there is nothing left to cut. France will face the same problem, and the USA is effectively funding its military by borrowing.
The long awaited defence industrial plan will be fascinating.