LONDON, 14 JULY – The United Kingdom and France have deepened their defence partnership with a fresh order of Storm Shadow long-range missiles. Both countries also committed to jointly developing the weapon’s next-generation replacement.
The announcement came alongside a bilateral declaration in London. Both countries are the only nuclear powers in Europe and reaffirmed their strategic alignment in responding to emerging threats across the continent.
Under the agreement, Paris and London will move forward with the next phase of a joint programme to develop future deep strike and anti-ship missile capabilities. This initiative is expected to replace the existing Storm Shadow systems soon.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a joint declaration expressing readiness to respond collectively to any severe threat to European security.
“A newly signed declaration will state for the first time that the respective deterrents of both countries are independent but can be co-ordinated, and that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations,” the UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement last Thursday.
The declaration also enables expanded collaboration on nuclear research. It reinforces both nations’ commitment to the global non-proliferation framework.
Beyond missile development, the agreement supports broader industrial cooperation under the renewed Lancaster House 2.0 framework. A new initiative called ‘Entente Industrielle’ aims to turn defence investment into a driver of economic growth.
Future efforts will include the development of advanced capabilities such as radiofrequency weapons, electronic jammers and the integration of artificial intelligence in missile and drone systems to enhance tactical effectiveness. – airtimes.my
#AirTimes #Global #Perancis #Britain
