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Spectator
18-07-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Germany has become a useful ally for Britain
Yesterday the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited London for the first time since he took office in May. He and the prime minister have met on a number of occasions, and although the two lawyers are different characters – Sir Keir Starmer, the stiff, soi disant progressive human rights barrister; Merz, the abrasive, hard-nosed corporate counsel – they have forged a functional relationship. But this was Merz on Starmer's home ground. The government has put a great deal of effort into bespoke bilateral relationships. Defence secretary John Healey and the German defence minister Boris Pistorius signed the Trinity House Agreement last October, and there have also been various kinds of arrangements put in place with Estonia, Ukraine, Norway, Qatar and France, as well as the outline of a trade agreement with the United States. This week, Starmer built on the Trinity House Agreement to agree to a treaty with Germany on friendship and bilateral cooperation; this has been dubbed, as if Downing Street were sweeping a Monopoly board, the 'Kensington Treaty'. It is the first bilateral treaty the UK and Germany have concluded since the second world war, and it covers a broad range of policy areas: diplomacy, security and development, defence cooperation, internal security, justice and migration, economic growth, resilience and competitiveness, open and resilient societies, and climate, energy, nature, environment and agriculture. Given the current geopolitical situation, the defence provisions have received particular attention, and it is worth trying to unpick the details. I've been to enough international assemblies to recognise the florid, padded language of diplomacy, but it is fair to say that the Kensington Treaty would have benefited from a good but firm editor. It adds very little to the sum of human knowledge or happiness to declare that the UK and Germany are 'inspired by a common will to address the momentous new challenges to Euro-Atlantic security' or that they are 'reaffirming their ironclad commitment to the Transatlantic Alliance as the bedrock of their security, based on shared values'. Peeling away the ambient verbiage, however, there are some concrete measures. Both parties will improve their 'military interoperability, interchangeability and integration', meaning that they will be more closely aligned in equipment, doctrine and methodology; these are important considerations when contemplating fighting as part of a multinational coalition. There is also a commitment to closer industrial cooperation, again partly reflecting the fact that many of our most significant military platforms are now multinational: Eurofighter Typhoon, the F-35 Lightning, the Airbus Voyager tanker aircraft and A400M transports, the Boxer and Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, the RCH 155 self-propelled howitzer, the New Medium Helicopter programme. Britain and Germany will also continue jointly to develop a new deep precision strike missile and work on uncrewed aerial systems. It is interesting that the treaty also contains a provision for the UK and Germany to work more closely on defence exports through the UK-Germany Defence Industry Forum. Under the treaty, the UK will join Germany, France and Spain in the agreement on defence export controls first established in September 2021, which will align the export control regimes of all four countries. With this in place, the UK and Germany can undertake shared procurement and export promotion in the hope of increasing sales of platforms like the Typhoon, the A400M and Boxer while also making efficiency savings through streamlining sales processes. There may be new customers for the Typhoon in the Middle East and Asia, which could be critical for UK industry; BAE Systems Warton recently completed the last Typhoon on its order books, and there is a danger of loss of skills and capability if new buyers are not found. For the UK, Germany may be a very useful ally in these areas at the moment. While the government in London has still not set out any robust targets for increasing defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, a target agreed at the Nato summit in the Hague last month, Germany is going all in. Berlin will borrow €400 billion (£347 billion) over the next five years, in which time it intends to spend €649 billion (£563 billion) overall on defence, reaching 3.5 per cent of GDP on core military expenditure by 2029. Currently, the UK cannot dream of matching that largesse. The current defence budget is 2.6 per cent of GDP if the intelligence agencies are included and will still not reach £80 billion a year by 2027/28. Ministers cannot even give any certainty or timeframe for reaching three per cent of GDP. Perhaps a rising tide really does lift all boats. If the UK can partner with the free-spending Germans to sell more military equipment built wholly or partially in Britain, that can only be good. Nevertheless, with the Kensington Treaty now in place, Starmer and his government must make sure that we keep pace with our allies and do not find ourselves financially embarrassed. A great deal of talk has been talked on defence: now we need to look very closely at the walking.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Long-Range ‘Deep Precision Strike' Missile To Be Developed By UK And Germany
The United Kingdom and Germany have announced that they will team up to produce a 'deep precision strike' weapon with a range of over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles). At this point, it's unclear whether a ballistic or cruise missile — or perhaps both types — will be the preferred solution. However, the project reflects growing ambitions among European NATO members to field long-range strike capabilities, faced by a growing Russian threat on the alliance's eastern flank. The announcement about the new weapon was made yesterday in Berlin by German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius and his British counterpart John Healey. It came ahead of today's meeting of defense ministers from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Poland in Rome — the so-called European Group of Five (E5). New heights in military cooperation – Defence Ministers Healey & Pistorius agreed: develop 2,000km Deep Precision Strike Capability joint procurement of Sting Ray torpedoes for P-8 Poseidon aircraft strategic land systems partnership continue BOXER co-operation — German Embassy London (@GermanEmbassy) May 16, 2025 The plan to develop a deep precision strike weapon is the most ambitious development so far under the bilateral defense cooperation pact, the Trinity House Agreement, that the United Kingdom and Germany signed last October. You can read our full analysis of that partnership here. According to a statement yesterday from the U.K. Ministry of Defense, the new weapon 'will be among the most advanced systems ever designed by the United Kingdom, to safeguard the British public and reinforce NATO deterrence, while boosting the U.K. and European defense sectors.' A timeline for the development of the new missile has not been announced, and it's unclear how much the program could cost. While the United Kingdom and Germany working together on a project of this kind is unprecedented, the capabilities the countries are seeking to develop and field are less surprising. Russia's extensive use of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles against Ukraine has highlighted a major gap in the inventories of many European NATO countries. In fact, among European NATO members, only Turkey possesses a conventional ground-launched missile with a range of more than 186 miles — the indigenously developed Bora short-range ballistic missile. Meanwhile, Russia has various ground-launched systems with this kind of performance, able to carry conventional or nuclear warheads. This is before taking into account Russia's air-launched and maritime long-range strike capabilities, which also vastly outmatch their NATO counterparts in Europe. When the Trinity House Agreement was signed, it was stated that the two countries would work together to 'rapidly develop' new extended deep strike weapons. No more details were provided at the time, but it was stated that the weapon or weapons would be expected to fly further and attack targets with greater precision than the Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile used by the U.K. Royal Air Force and others. Considering the Storm Shadow is already extremely precise, it's not immediately obvious how such an improvement would be secured. Previous reports had suggested that the British were looking at developing a strike weapon that would have a range of about 2,000 miles, which would allow it to reach Moscow after a launch from the United Kingdom. The weapon was said to be a deterrent to Russian tactical nuclear missiles, which are being fielded in increasingly advanced and long-reaching forms, including in Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea. However, even the 2,000-kilometer range of the deep precision strike weapon would allow the Russian capital to be struck after launch from almost any location in Germany. Under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF, signed by the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1987, Russia and the United States were prohibited from deploying nuclear or conventionally armed ground-based cruise and ballistic missiles with ranges between 310 and 3,420 miles. U.S. President Donald Trump formally withdrew from the treaty in 2019, ostensibly over Russia's fielding of a prohibited ground-based cruise missile system, the 9M729 (SSC-8 Screwdriver), something the Kremlin continues to deny it has done. Since then, however, long-range strike capabilities are very much part of the defense landscape in Europe once again. Last summer, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland launched the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) — later joined by Sweden and the United Kingdom. Once again, this effort calls for the development of a new capability for 'long-range strikes,' although the type of weapon being pursued is not mentioned. As with the Anglo-German program, it's not specified whether ELSA is looking to develop a cruise or a ballistic missile. The UK has agreed to take part in the European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA). Not unexpected given earlier signals from German-UK meetings in July. Helpfully though the UK MOD press release provides a planned in-service entry date 'by the 2030s'. — Timothy Wright (@Wright_T_J) October 17, 2024 Previous announcements state that the French-led ELSA project intended to provide a missile with a range of between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers (621 and 1,243 miles) and that it should be in service by the 2030s. Many of the similar developments in this field have focused on ground-launched long-range strike capabilities, with the United States very much at the forefront. The U.S. has announced that it will deploy to Germany, on a rotational basis, starting next year, a range of advanced ground-launched weapons. These include the SM-6 multi-purpose missile and Tomahawk cruise missile, as well as 'developmental hypersonic weapons.' This latter is a reference to the Dark Eagle and potentially others, like the Operational Fires (OpFires) ground-launched hypersonic missile system and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missile, both of which are also now in development. It is also possible that the Anglo-German effort might result in a weapon for launch from aircraft, ships, or even submarines. Of these options, a ship-launched cruise missile might be the most practical. The Royal Navy already operates the U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile, launched from its nuclear-powered attack submarines. Recently, it's been reported that Germany is also looking at acquiring Tomahawk to arm its forthcoming Type 127 frigates, although it could also be retrofitted on in-service German Navy surface combatants. Tomahawk, which is conventionally armed, has a range of around 1,000 miles with a 1,000-pound unitary warhead. Tomahawk can be fired from the Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS), found on most German frigate classes, while the U.K. Royal Navy is building two new classes of warship that will also have these launchers. The same VLS could also be an option for the deep precision strike weapon. In terms of air-launched options, there will be a degree of commonality between the United Kingdom's F-35B stealth fighters and the F-35As on order for Germany, although it's questionable whether an air-launched cruise missile with this kind of range could be carried even externally by a Joint Strike Fighter. Certainly, it would be too large to fit internally in the stealth fighter's weapons bays, especially the F-35B, which has less space for internal stores. A more suitable air-launch platform might be the Eurofighter Typhoon, operated by both countries and already proven to be capable of carrying heavier external stores, notably in the shape of the Storm Shadow. If a cruise missile is the chosen path toward achieving the deep precision strike weapon, the two countries may select one with hypersonic performance, which would make it considerably harder for hostile air defenses to intercept. Germany and the United Kingdom are already working on hypersonic powerplants, with the U.K. Ministry of Defense's Team Hypersonics (UK) program notably seeking to have a hypersonic weapon technology demonstrator ready by 2030. There is also the possibility that, from the British side, the effort could draw upon hypersonic missile research being undertaken as part of the trilateral Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) security cooperation agreement. Developing a new ballistic missile to fulfill the deep precision strike criteria is also a possibility, but it's been many decades since either the United Kingdom or Germany were developing and producing these kinds of weapons. Whether a cruise missile or a ballistic missile, the announcement about the new weapon does not mention the kind of warhead that it will carry. Recent developments suggest that a nuclear payload capability, even if a latent feature, should perhaps not be ruled out. Currently, the United Kingdom maintains a submarine-based nuclear deterrent, based around Trident 2 D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Germany does not have its own nuclear weapons, but is supplied with U.S.-owned B61 thermonuclear bombs under the NATO nuclear-sharing arrangement. Under U.S. President Donald Trump, there have been increasing discussions about the future of nuclear deterrence among European leaders, reflecting a deepening crisis in the transatlantic alliance. Before he took office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for talks with his British and French colleagues about European 'nuclear sharing or at least nuclear security.' Meanwhile, France has reportedly looked at the possibility of deploying its own air-launched nuclear weapons to Germany in the future. With these developments in mind, it's certainly conceivable that the United Kingdom and Germany might consider a nuclear-armed deep precision strike weapon, especially if Germany begins to have doubts about the reliability of Washington in helping to secure its nuclear deterrent. Overall, the joint deep precision strike reflects the growing push by both the United Kingdom and Germany to bolster European security, while at the same time driving economic growth. As part of the burgeoning military cooperation between the two countries under the Trinity House Agreement, yesterday also saw the announcement of a joint procurement program for Sting Ray torpedoes to arm P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. These are being procured by both the United Kingdom and Germany, which previously unveiled plans to operate their fleets closely together, to provide better anti-submarine warfare coverage of the critical North Atlantic region. Since the agreement was signed in October, German crews have joined U.K. Royal Air Force personnel in flights on Poseidon aircraft. Other elements of the Trinity House Agreement that have previously been announced include a new artillery gun barrel factory in the United Kingdom, a commitment to manufacturing Boxer armored vehicles in the United Kingdom, and a pledge to work jointly with undisclosed partners to integrate air defense systems 'to better protect European airspace against the threat of long-range missiles.' As for the Anglo-German effort to develop a new deep precision strike weapon, the details of what this will look like are still to be resolved. While this is very likely a longer-term initiative, it points again to a growing focus on long-range fire capabilities in Europe and may well ultimately have a significant effect on the strategic balance on the continent. Contact the author: thomas@
DW
16-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
Germany, UK to jointly develop long-range missiles – DW – 05/16/2025
Germany and the UK are increasing their military cooperation. They want to develop long-range precision weapons. The aim is to protect Europe from potential attacks. The German armed forces are to become "the strongest conventional army in Europe." Chancellor Friedrich Merz set this ambitious goal in his first government declaration to the Bundestag this week. "We must be in a position to defend ourselves so that we do not ever actually need to defend ourselves," said the new head of government, referring to the threat posed by Russia. This is to be achieved in close coordination with European partners, and with the UK, in particular. This was made official last fall in an agreement that both countries celebrated as "historic." It has become known as the Trinity House Agreement, named after the place in London where it was signed by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his British counterpart John Healey last October. Never before has there been such an agreement between the two countries. Healey traveled to Berlin this Thursday (15.05.2025) to concretize the joint plans. Chancellor Merz vows to build strongest army in Europe To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Common strategic goals Although the UK is no longer a member of the EU, the nuclear power remains a strong military partner in NATO and shares common interests with Germany. "The UK is deeply involved in the geographical areas that are important to Germany, such as the Baltic states and the far north, but also to some extent on NATO's eastern flank," stressed Ben Schreer, head of the Berlin office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Both countries now intend to join forces to protect the North Atlantic and the North Sea, for example. Not only do important sea trade routes run through the North Sea, but also gas pipelines and cables that carry electricity from large offshore facilities to the coast. Following suspected Russian attacks on underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, security experts fear similar attacks in the North Sea. Both countries want to work to counter such attacks by providing a "clear and comprehensive picture of the underwater situation," the agreement states. Defense Ministers Boris Pistorius and John Healey met to discuss cooperation Image: Twardy/BMVg Joint operations with submarines and maritime reconnaissance aircraft are also part of this plan. In the future, the German P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be deployed from Scotland to help monitor the airspace over the North Atlantic. The Bundeswehr has placed a new order for these aircraft and the British Army is already using them, meaning that German crews can already train there. "These long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft can target submarines over long distances," emphasized Defense Minister Pistorius after the discussions with his British counterpart. As a result, both partners will jointly strengthen NATO's submarine-hunting capabilities in the North Atlantic and North Sea. Development of long-range missiles Both countries have a strong defense industry, and there are also plans for cooperation in this area. For example, the German armaments group Rheinmetall manufactures the Boxer armored transport vehicle at its plants in the UK, of which the British army has ordered 500 units. One of the key elements of the agreement is the joint development of precision weapons with a range of more than 2000 kilometers (1242,7 miles), which other European countries can also take part in. Another area of cooperation is the development of armed drones. This is an area in which the Bundeswehr is lagging behind and only started acquiring smaller combat drones this year. The British Army, on the other hand, has years of operational experience in this field, from which the Bundeswehr could benefit. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be used by the British and German armed forces to monitor the airspace over the North Sea and the North Atlantic Image: Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/picture alliance Developing compatible weapons systems The two countries also want to cooperate on developing fighter aircraft for the future — up to a point at least. That's because Germany is already developing a new system in collaboration with France and Spain, while the UK is developing a different system together with Italy and Japan. "From a European perspective, it makes perfect sense to at least ensure that the two systems are compatible so that they can work together in future joint missions," emphasized security expert Schreer. This addresses a point where Europe has repeatedly created obstacles for itself: there are too many different weapons systems, some of which are not compatible with each other. "We need common standards and we need a simplification of systems in Europe," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shortly after taking office. At a time when European NATO states are having to shoulder a greater burden in terms of defense, German-British cooperation could set an example. It is "a constructive building block" that complements other forms of cooperation, says Schreer, like that between Germany and France. As Schreer sees it, "the big question is what the UK will be willing and able to contribute to the defense of Europe. And this, of course, raises some crucial questions, especially with regard to the UK's defense budget, where larger investments are likely to become increasingly difficult." German FM backs 5% NATO spending target To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video How much money will the Bundeswehr get? In Germany, the question of the size of the future defense budget is also being raised. Due to the change of government, there is still no budget for 2025, but there are already heated discussions about the required sums. This Thursday, Foreign Minister (CDU) backed the target set by US President Donald Trump of spending up to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense in the future — and immediately faced backlash from his coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). After his meeting with Healey, Defense Minister Pistorius explained that he was responsible for drawing up the defense budget. He said that NATO's decisions at its upcoming summit in June will serve for him as a benchmark. "We all know that this will be much more expensive than the two percent that is being discussed today." Three percent of economic output or more is "not unrealistic." British Defense Minister Healey added: "It's not just about how much we spend, but how we do it." This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.
DW
16-05-2025
- Business
- DW
Germany and UK to jointly develop long-range missiles – DW – 05/16/2025
Germany and the UK are increasing their military cooperation. They want to develop long-range precision weapons. The aim is to protect Europe from potential attacks. The German armed forces are to become "the strongest conventional army in Europe." Chancellor Friedrich Merz set this ambitious goal in his first government declaration to the Bundestag this week. "We must be in a position to defend ourselves so that we do not ever actually need to defend ourselves," said the new head of government, referring to the threat posed by Russia. This is to be achieved in close coordination with European partners, and with the UK, in particular. This was made official last fall in an agreement that both countries celebrated as "historic." It has become known as the Trinity House Agreement, named after the place in London where it was signed by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his British counterpart John Healey last October. Never before has there been such an agreement between the two countries. Healey traveled to Berlin this Thursday (15.05.2025) to concretize the joint plans. Defense Ministers Boris Pistorius and John Healey met to discuss cooperation Image: Twardy/BMVg Common strategic goals Although the UK is no longer a member of the EU, the nuclear power remains a strong military partner in NATO and shares common interests with Germany. "The UK is deeply involved in the geographical areas that are important to Germany, such as the Baltic states and the far north, but also to some extent on NATO's eastern flank," stressed Ben Schreer, head of the Berlin office of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Both countries now intend to join forces to protect the North Atlantic and the North Sea, for example. Not only do important sea trade routes run through the North Sea, but also gas pipelines and cables that carry electricity from large offshore facilities to the coast. Following suspected Russian attacks on underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, security experts fear similar attacks in the North Sea. Both countries want to work to counter such attacks by providing a "clear and comprehensive picture of the underwater situation," the agreement states. How Merz aims to regain Germany's standing on foreign issues To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Joint operations with submarines and maritime reconnaissance aircraft are also part of this plan. In the future, the German P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be deployed from Scotland to help monitor the airspace over the North Atlantic. The Bundeswehr has placed a new order for these aircraft and the British Army is already using them, meaning that German crews can already train there. "These long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft can target submarines over long distances," emphasized Defense Minister Pistorius after the discussions with his British counterpart. As a result, both partners will jointly strengthen NATO's submarine-hunting capabilities in the North Atlantic and North Sea. Development of long-range missiles Both countries have a strong defense industry, and there are also plans for cooperation in this area. For example, the German armaments group Rheinmetall manufactures the Boxer armored transport vehicle at its plants in the UK, of which the British army has ordered 500 units. One of the key elements of the agreement is the joint development of precision weapons with a range of more than 2000 kilometers (1242,7 miles), which other European countries can also take part in. Another area of cooperation is the development of armed drones. This is an area in which the Bundeswehr is lagging behind and only started acquiring smaller combat drones this year. The British Army, on the other hand, has years of operational experience in this field, from which the Bundeswehr could benefit. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be used by the British and German armed forces to monitor the airspace over the North Sea and the North Atlantic Image: Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images/Sipa USA/picture alliance Developing compatible weapons systems The two countries also want to cooperate on developing fighter aircraft for the future — up to a point at least. That's because Germany is already developing a new system in collaboration with France and Spain, while the UK is developing a different system together with Italy and Japan. "From a European perspective, it makes perfect sense to at least ensure that the two systems are compatible so that they can work together in future joint missions," emphasized security expert Schreer. This addresses a point where Europe has repeatedly created obstacles for itself: there are too many different weapons systems, some of which are not compatible with each other. "We need common standards and we need a simplification of systems in Europe," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shortly after taking office. At a time when European NATO states are having to shoulder a greater burden in terms of defense, German-British cooperation could set an example. It is "a constructive building block" that complements other forms of cooperation, says Schreer, like that between Germany and France. As Schreer sees it, "the big question is what the UK will be willing and able to contribute to the defense of Europe. And this, of course, raises some crucial questions, especially with regard to the UK's defense budget, where larger investments are likely to become increasingly difficult." German FM backs 5% NATO spending target To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video How much money will the Bundeswehr get? In Germany, the question of the size of the future defense budget is also being raised. Due to the change of government, there is still no budget for 2025, but there are already heated discussions about the required sums. This Thursday, Foreign Minister (CDU) backed the target set by US President Donald Trump of spending up to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense in the future — and immediately faced backlash from his coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). After his meeting with Healey, Defense Minister Pistorius explained that he was responsible for drawing up the defense budget. He said that NATO's decisions at its upcoming summit in June will serve for him as a benchmark. "We all know that this will be much more expensive than the two percent that is being discussed today." Three percent of economic output or more is "not unrealistic." British Defense Minister Healey added: "It's not just about how much we spend, but how we do it." This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany and UK to develop long-range strike weapon
Germany and the United Kingdom plan to jointly develop a long-range strike weapon and are inviting allies to participate in the project, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday. Work has begun on developing the "deep precision strike" capability, Pistorius said at a meeting with his British counterpart John Healey in Berlin. "Specifically, this means that we have started developing weapon systems with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres," Pistorius said. "The current threat clearly shows that we must close all capability gaps as quickly as possible," he added. The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation on anti-submarine capabilities. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Trinity House Agreement, a bilateral agreement on defence cooperation. With their plans for a long-range strike weapon, Germany and the UK are taking a leading role in the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) project. Several other countries signed a declaration of intent to this effect at the NATO summit in Washington last year. The aim is to be able to destroy military installations or important infrastructure deep in an enemy's hinterland.
