The UK Government is pursuing deeper defence cooperation with European allies, including steps towards joint procurement and stockpiling of equipment, according to a ministerial statement.
In response to a Parliamentary Question from Martin Wrigley MP (Liberal Democrat – Newton Abbot), Minister of State for Defence Maria Eagle said the Government is committed to building an “ambitious, broad-based UK-EU security partnership” as part of efforts to respond to the current threats facing Europe.
She added: “We will seek a new geopolitical partnership with the EU that drives closer coordination and complements our unshakable commitment to NATO, which will remain the foremost vehicle for European security.”
Eagle pointed to existing multinational initiatives as examples of collective defence efforts, including the European Long-Range Strike Approach, the DIAMOND integrated air and missile defence project, and NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan.
She said that such cooperative procurement efforts would “deliver more of the capabilities we need across the continent and enhance our shared deterrence.”
The Minister also made clear the importance of the UK’s domestic defence industry, stating: “This Government recognises the vital role the UK’s defence industry plays not only in our national security but also to the economic prosperity and growth of the UK.”
Find a capability gap or two and design and manufacture a solution at pace. Our EU allies provide some good stuff but we need the capability to build anything we want domestically & quickly. Once we have filled our gaps we can sell abroad and we can buy other stuff. If we spent more time actually doing something and less setting up agreements everyone would be better off.