U.S. Ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson has said that there is “no stronger defense relationship” than that between the United States and United Kingdom.

The UK Government said recently:

“The UK and the US has the broadest, deepest and most advanced defence relationship of any two nations and troops from both countries continue to operate around the world together in places such as Afghanistan, South China Sea, the Middle East, and Europe.”

The following is from ‘Indispensable allies: US, NATO and UK Defence relations’, a report published by the Defence Select Committee.

“Wyn Rees, Professor of International Security at the University of Nottingham, agreed that the UK had benefited from our nuclear relationship with the US, our intelligence relationship, our ability to purchase US weaponry below development cost and our UK military’s inter-operability with their US counterparts. On the other hand, he believed that UK-US security co-operation had adversely affected UK and US relationships with the EU.

James Rogers, director of the Global Britain Programme at the Henry Jackson Society, thought the UK-US relationship was based on geostrategic reality and that the two countries would become more inter-dependent as the strategic environment worsened. However, he suggested that this would depend on the UK being willing to sustain the relationship through continued development of strategic capabilities and acceptance of political necessities.”

You can read the full text here.

HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea with a mix of British and American jets.

This is also borne out by ongoing activity, the upcoming deployment of a British carrier group to the Pacific will prominently feature American personnel and aircraft. You can read more about that by going to the link below.

British Carrier Strike Group to deploy to Pacific

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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79 COMMENTS

    • In order to save 50% of the cost of new door and desk signage how about Woody Allen as a replacement? 🙂 If someone like Donald Trump could actually have been elected to the post, then not much else could be stranger!!

          • And the US had a choice between Trump and the witch. Clean out your own political cesspool before criticizing the US.

          • Compared to US, UK politics is cleaned by a wet wipe. Even in the darkest days of turmoil in parliament, we never reached the utter depths and dysfunction now evident in the US. It’s not just Trumpism but the utter cowardice and lack of backbone by the wider GOP. Just because they’re scared of losing their seat. Utter leaches to the state! I feel sorry for my US friends who are deeply shamed by everything that’s happened over the last 4 or 5 years.

          • Political cesspool……lol realy? You had the brass neck to critise someone elses politics. Wow that’s both entertaining and quite red neck like!

          • I am very willing to criticise US politics, and have been for quite a while.

            I am very willing to criticise UK politics, and have been for quite a while.

    • Don’t know much about the man other than he comes across as sensible. People can just morph and play the game he’s a trump man todaynthen next week a staunch Biden man , you gotta be adaptable when there’s a monthly pay cheque involved

      • I’m from across the pond, and I agree with you. Please don’t throw everyone under the proverbial bus because they are from the Trump administration time. We colonists still have good people, and I am proud to say that my roots lay in England.

        • I wasn’t trying to throw anyone under the bus infact far from it . I was a big Mr T fan best President you guys have had since Ronaldo Reagan . Absolute disaster for your nation now you have Slow Joe 30330 at the helm .

          All I can say is good luck man ???

          ?????????

    • Funny seeing criticism of Trump when he is much more friendly to UK than any one in Democratic party which will even have several haters and racists.
      It is obvious that Biden with the Marxist turn of Democratic party which is no more the old Democratic party of 80’s will be much more of a world government type like Obama “back at the line”. So expect a much more rough ride for UK vs US.

  2. As an Americophile agree entirely with these sentiments notwithstanding the odd hiccup! The ties between us are in blood, commerce,language and history. We should not forget that our current PM was born in New York and the outgoing President had a British mother, plus of course, Britain’s greatest Son Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born of a British father and American mother! The American connection also reinforces our links to our ‘Old Commonwealth’ cousins in Canada and Australasia. Long may this last.

    • All those ties you mention are quite generic. Didn’t we fight and spill blood fighting with and for Europeans? Don’t we have strong commercial and cultural ties to Europe which go back way longer than America? As for language – I work for a European company and can assure you that English is the first language and one that everybody speaks. American say things in English which are quite alien to a Brit – the words are understood but the nuanced meaning is different. A brit is actually quite culturally different to an American in many respects. Don’t forget most americans are driven by strong Christian beliefs and feelings of individualism far greater than you find in the UK.

      However, I agree with the sentiment and hope that relationships with America can return to normality.

      • Hear what you say. The world is changing so rapidly that it is difficult for an older guy like myself to absorb. I cling to the icons of the Anglosphere but am still saddened by our leaving the EU although some aspects of our relationship needed to be changed.On subject I still believe the Anglo-American military alliance is fit and best for purpose

        • Let’s not forget, Geoff, that the EU refused to change. Cameron’s plan to defeat the rising tide of leavers was to persuade the EU to negotiate. They sent him back with nothing, so the aspiration to change our relationship with them could only be done by Brexit. They wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t compromise and now we are where we are.

      • The ties ends when the Columbus statues are destroyed and all origins of US considered evil or about.
        When you have schools teaching the 1619 project – started by royalty of US journalism New York Times you can see a future of hate between the new neo-Marxist US vs Europe.

        • OK, Ill bite. In what universe can you describe anything about the Democrats or indeed US politics as Marxist? Its barely left leaning by European norms. Dear old Karl will be spinning in his grave.

        • Neo-Marxist? I’m here and, PLEASE believe me, the incoming administration is trying to stop the hate and and (yes, I use this word very intentionally) the neo-Nazi movement that has arisen. Have I seen Democrats carrying the hammer and sickle? No. Have I seen the Trump supporters wearing Nazi insignia and giving the “Sieg Heil” salute? Many times. Please give the new administration a chance before judging it. BTW, I’m old enough to have lived through the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, not to mention our civil rights movement in the 60s and the war in Viet Nam, in which more than few people I know served. I believe there is hope for the future.

        • You have to remember that from a U.K. point of view the Democrats site soundly in the same political spectrum as one nation conservatives, with your average Republican sitting in the same space as the most right wing elements of the conservatives. The new labour side of the Labour Party would be about where the left of the democrats sit, with the left wing of the Labour Party sitting way left of any US political party but still miles away from true communist ideals.

          You have to remember there is literally no party in the U.K. that would ever go away from ideas that the US mainstream parties would consider madly left wing such as free universal health care, universal state benefits, universal unemployment benefits. As a nation we were in conniptions about moving from universally free university education to a universal higher education loan ( but higher education is still effectively free at delivery ). When I was 18 it was universally accepted that you even paid a state stipend ( grant) to higher education students. Even now some key workforce’s get bursaries ( nurse eduction).

    • It will not continue.
      It is part of totalitarian ideology of new administration – read for neo-Marxist theory extended not only social classes but classes of everything, mixed with Administrative State. read about Cass Sustein – and that is the least worse – for the later. A State that controls everything from what you eat, to what you drive, to what you say. They prefer to deal with empires like UE than with UK.
      Related to the Navy will see if the Freedom of Navigation in Taiwan Strait and elsewhere will continue.

  3. I see no reason why this should change for the foreseeable future either.

    The US and UK have been a steadfast allies since WW2 (despite a small few tiff’s in between) and this will continue.

    Now the lunatic is about to be evicted from the White House, perhaps to end up in
    ‘the big house’ later this year, I am sure that relationship will only deepen and strengthen.

    • Agree John. The politics of each individual aside, it is a huge relief to have a normal,sane, statesmanlike man in charge again

      • The relationship will be strengthened as the UK becomes a major power through its improved naval reach. A country capable of deploying a carrier group with the latest generation fighters has to be of value to the US. In regards to the UK mainland, the US would still use its bases in times of tension and could recommission a number of closed establishments if required.
        The common language is also an enormous benefit when operating in a military environment.
        Under the new old chap, the US is probably going to attempt to repair the damage, which Trump created inside NATO, and to strengthen its diplomacy within the EU.
        The commonality of military hardware between the UK and US should be enhanced beyond the F35. The next M1 should be seriously considered by the British Army along with other vehicles, which in some cases have BAE development behind them, thus greasing the tracks for closer collaboration?

        • Your upbeat assessment is predicated by a few factors. 1. State of UK economy does not lead major defence cuts in the mid-term, 2. Break up of UK will lead to weakened armed forces. At least one but probably both are highly likely.

          • Hi Maurice,

            I firmly believe the UK economy will recover extremely quickly as Covid19 restrictions are progressively lifted.

            It’s one advantage of a service based economic model, when the situation allows, we will bounce back strongly.

            UK breakup won’t happen for decades, if at all.

            More UK chaos would just cause more doubt in the world markets. As a result of that, no UK government, present or future, (of any colour) will sanction another referendum for decades to come.

            The SNP can howl righteous indignation all they like, it won’t make a jot of difference…

            They will no doubt carry on playing the wounded party to their home audience…

            To add to the positive note, I think we have seen the end of defence financial cuts…..

          • I don’t generally comment on SNP stuff as I regard it as noise. I should say a near branch of the family is from Aberdeen.

            I don’t really see how Scotland hiving itself off from the rest of UK would negatively affect budgets: it would actually increase free cashflow for Westminster as under the Barnet Formula Scotland gets more cash than pretty much anywhere else and far more than it pay in!

            An independent Scotland is pretty much insolvent from the word go.

            I also believe that we are in a different place to the 70 & 80’s recessions in terms of flexible labour markets that allow a fast reshape and bounce back.Part of the problem with the recession of the last century was the sheer inflexibility of the working environment dominated by relatively large employers who were also incapable of fast shape shifting. The key is also cheap money for SME’s to invest in plant and machinery as well as R&D or new premises.

            More productivity is the key.

          • There is growing financial evidence that independence is not affordable due to many factors. COVID has screwed short and long-term fiscal planning for most countries around the World, plus Bretix could make an independent EU rejoiner, an unattractive financial proposition in the short to medium term?

            If the vote was agreed by Westminster, many current social benefits could vanish overnight once out of the Union. This appears to be broadly accepted in some financial sectors and needs to be made very clear by the SNP when making their case to the Scottish people. When and if the vote comes, there will be significant military ramifications.
            Despite the possible military cuts in both the US and UK in the immediate future, I can only see military bonds becoming even tighter going forward.

          • I do not understand your Point 1. Are you expecting defence cuts?
            How do you see the break up of the UK happening – Scotland will not be given indyref2 by the PM anytime soon – and the majority in Northern Ireland are Unionists.

    • The lunatic is who is entering not who is departing. Who is entering wants to control all your live. The guy who departed did not cared about what you eat, what you drive, what you read, what you talked. He let you choose.
      With the new regime if you don’t follow the party line you will not have a job and if you don’t behave you’ll be threatened and attacked.

  4. Depending on who is the audience being addressed, the US has said similar things to other nations too, various US officials have made similar statements here in Australia too.

    I think what is clear is that the relationship with the various Five Eyes nations rank pretty high, ranking one nation over the other is a bit of a pointless exercise.

    Depending on which part of the world being addressed for a ‘pat on the back’, you could add various NATO nations, Japan, South Korea, Israel and of course the Five Eyes nations.

    Cheers,

    • Exactly John. There are no friends in international politics, just interests. Great Britain can make itself useful or not and that is about it. In every conflict bar one in which the U.S. was involved since 1945, the British were invited chiefly for diplomatic reasons or to have a mascot role, trotting behind not alongside. Hostile (or indifferent) to this country’s efforts against I.R.A.-S.F. (Biden is ‘Irish’) and only helpful over the Falklands because of the occupant in 10 Downing Street being in character and intellect superior to anything on hand in Washington, the U.S.A.’s policy towards this country since 1940 has been to manage its decline. Still here.

  5. Asked for a comment during his Presidential election bid by a B.B.C. reporter, President Elect Biden replied ‘I’m Irish’ and moved on. We will soon learn what that means for the relationship.

    • Agreed, things could get bumpy. Yet I bet if he decides to have another American-led excursion to the Middle-East, him being “irish” won’t stop him asking us to come along.

    • That is the point that interests me the most. There have been a few Presidents of Irish extract and indeed over the War years of German
      extract(Roosevelt,Eisenhower!!) however they generally become strongly American first and don’t have such hard views as those held by people still living in Europe. I however recall one prominent American politician(forgot his name) who loudly proclaimed that he was of Irish protestant extract and”.. you will know which side I support!” (In reference to the Falklands War)

      • Ike was fara and way the most pro-British President. Close wartime connections (apart from the rude and prickly Montgomery, but he was nasty to everyone). Ike thought his one great mistake was not supporting the U.K. over Suez. Since then I doubt many could find the British Isles oan map and like all ‘Irish Americans’ President Elect Biden would shrink from living there. The great Ulysees S. Grant was of course, an Ulsterman. I have read about close ties among the top brass but I wondered if that was just talk.

      • Biden also made a passionate speech about the Falklands on our side, he made the most passionate speech in the Senate demanding the US announce that it is taking our side in the war.

        “We lose a great deal more by not standing by our oldest and closest ally” Joe Biden – 1982

        And he’s of English decent from his fathers side.

        • Didn’t know that. i like him even more now and it illustrates the his being”Irish” is no impediment to him viewing us as a close friend

    • Means very little. Obama was not a fan either, what happened there. Zilch.

      Our main links are intelligence and defence related. Those links remain regardless who occupies the White House.

      As GCHQ has the lead in the Middle East and is hand in glove with NSA the US is damaging itself if it reduces transatlantic co operation.
      They also rely on access to our bases, especially overseas, the legacy of Empire.

      I agree though that they do it for their own interests, not ours.

    • i think he’ll be clearly pro-EU and by definition, Uk will be out on a limb in that respect. However, around 5-eyes and wider geo-politics, UK will still be a go-to partner. Boris will probably have to kiss arse (as usual) and the relationship may not completely normalise until there is a change of PM. Of course if Kamala becomes president, then I think it could get very interesting – though I’m not sure yet for better or worse

      • Thanks julian. In a roundabout way we agree. My concern is on our side. We have no one since Thatcher who could run rings around anyone put up by Washington. As my woodwork teacher (ex R.A.F. wartime service) would say to any of the present crew close up and personal ‘You blithering idiot!’

  6. Whilst I’m sure the new man in the Whitehouse may well not be a friend of Boris and our leaving the EU has changed that relationship I think these are lesser issues compared to the big picture, which is a challenge to the West coming from China and Russia.
    The U.K., US, EU, Japan, South Korea, a number of commonwealth nations as well as others need to work together to protect the democratic freedoms we secured in 1945. These are under threat and the world order is very different to what it was 75+ years ago.
    Despite what some in the West believe we do not live in some kind of utopian global village and we need to be prepared to defend our core common values.

    • Precisely so. President Elect Biden is possibly not going to last four years – the job is a killer – so then its Vice President Elect Harris. She will be the unknown quantity. She might be amazing. Or awful.

  7. As everywhere else, there are many here criticising Trump. But for all PresidentTrump’s appalling and disasterous behaviour there is one thing that must not be forgotten. Despite the howls that he was a war monger when he was elected he did keep the US and the World from a war.
    When he came to power there was a real risk of war in Korea. IS had seized territory from Lebanon to the Iranian border and were sucking in fighters from all across the Muslim world. Trump defused the Korea threat. He almost immediately ordered a massive increase air strikes in Jan2017, 18 months later one of the most barbaric group since the SS (NKVD?) was demolished. It can be argued that Trump’s unpredictability restrained China’s illegal expansion and threat to Taiwan. But his greatest test came from Iran’s provocation. When Iran shot down the US’s $100 million UAV in international air space, those who had called Trump a war monger would have predicted he would have seized the oppotunity to attack Iran. What happen? Apparently when he was informed of the number of expected casualties Trump recalled the bombers already in the air. What cannot be disputed is Trump did not react to Iran’s slap in the face.
    Yes, he is an ignorant buffon. But he was no war monger and the World should thank him and the Forces involved for the obliteration of IS. ( An action here in the UK that was vehermently opposed by Labour, the Liberals and SNP.)

  8. Agree with the sentiment here. Feel profoundly more comfortable progressing our long-term binary relationship with the US, which should enable vital rapid reaction times among other major benefits.

    Enhance further with the similar instincts inherent among our other Five-Eyes partners and finally add in Commonwealth nations together with the more sympathetic of our European neighbours, and the future should be bright.

    We are no enemy of any truly democratic nation. Quite the reverse.

    Regards

  9. “Wyn Rees, Professor of International Security at the University of Nottingham, agreed that the UK had benefited from our nuclear relationship with the US, our intelligence relationship, our ability to purchase US weaponry below development cost and our UK military’s inter-operability with their US counterparts” That has worked both ways, especially in the early 1940s with nuclear, radar, jet engines, supersonic flight etc…

  10. I’m sure they say the same thing to Japan, South Korea and Australia too. One thing is for sure US focus will become less in Europe and more on the Pacific. APAC GDP overtook the rest of the world a couple of years ago. China is a much bigger threat economically and militarily than Russia and while Trump was very blunt about Europe free loading, Democrats felt exactly the same way. With America energy independant it is also a lot less concerned about what happens in the middle east so if no one else is prepared to intervene I wouldn’t expect the US to either unless it is a direct security threat to them.

    • I agree. Most people in the U.K. think the U.S. has party politics like our own. That isn’t the case. If President Elect Biden goes wrong his own side might turn on him over such issues as employment and support for industry. It’s not clear cut, one side against the other. Besides which, President Trump was elected by a popular movement among alienated Amercan’s, he didn’t find it and it hasn’t gone away.

  11. As a polite Canadian, I’m going to take exception to this statement that no-one has a closer defence relationship to the US. I’ll just say one word, NORAD. But yes I’m glad the UK. has a close relationship with the US and as a Canadian I would be even more glad if the UK. paid more attention to its relationship with us, Australia and New Zealand.

    • I would like to think CANZUK will do just that my Canadian friend. And I like the idea that the UK could soon join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Canada is already a member. I believe closer ties with Canada is one of the UK’s objectives for the near future.

  14. That might have been true in the past and might still be but with Britain’s continuing shrinking of it’s defense budget it is putting strain on the relationship. I would have to say the Aussie’s are doing what needs to be done in terms of defense spending and pulling their own weight. Is unfortunate that other countries won’t do the same….

  15. UNSC P5 member.
    No 2 Soft Power.
    G8 G20 richest industrial nations.
    Founding NATO member.
    Commonwealth.
    UKUSA agreement, closest in world, now days known by some as 5 eyes.
    Nuclear power.
    Cultural, diplomatic, military links worldwide
    People from all over so desperate to get here.

    Yes, we are no bodies.

    Hope it keeps you up at night and gives you such an irritated, achey feeling.

    Take your bitterness elsewhere you sad little man.

    • Spot on, it needles him and keeps him up at night, with a bit of frothy teeth (gum) gnashing reflex action. I know we shouldn’t reply to him, but he is sad, very lonely (lockdown has not changed his sad routine at all) and I do think he needs some help, or at least a friend. Cheers lol

  17. Harold, it’s not that the there is an inflated sense of importance. The U.K. and all it’s nations are still an important part of the world order.
    Im sorry to tell you this but little England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland for better or worse pretty much created what we know of as the modern world, at the root of most things you will find someone from the British isles or someone impacted by someone from the British isles.

    Before you say anything about English guilt for empire, Scotland was a massive participant and driver in Empire, so don’t give me the English imperialists drove the empire, because coming from a Scot it would be totally incongruous and make you like like you did not really understand your own cultural history.

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