Next week, the United Kingdom will sign a "historic defense pact" with Germany, which is expected to facilitate closer military ties and security connections with the European Union, according to The Sunday Times.
The agreement will enable British and German forces to conduct joint exercises on NATO's eastern border with Russia, most likely in Estonia and Lithuania. Additionally, the pact will allow the countries to jointly procure more weapons and lead to closer cooperation in the development and production of next-generation armaments, thereby strengthening the defense industries of both nations amid shrinking arsenals due to military assistance to Ukraine.
Times reports that this pact is viewed in the UK as the first step towards a broader security and defense agreement with the European Union, encompassing issues of defense, intelligence sharing, energy, and illegal migration. According to a source from the newspaper, substantive negotiations with Brussels are expected next year.
The United Kingdom left the European Union at the beginning of 2020.
The publication notes that the UK, Germany, and France, the largest military countries in Europe, are currently discussing how they can take on more responsibility within NATO due to concerns that the US may reduce its role in the alliance if Republican Donald Trump wins the presidential election.
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British Defense Minister John Healey, speaking at the NATO summit in Brussels, compared the forthcoming agreement with Germany to the defense and security agreement between the UK and France established in 2010. Healey suggested that the pact with Germany would be "the most significant bilateral agreement" the UK has made since then.
The minister also shared that British troops stationed in Estonia will undergo new training and receive drones and modern technologies to be prepared for military operations. New drones, radios, and radar systems, which will allow for long-distance detection of adversaries, will be provided under the "Asgard" project announced by the UK Ministry of Defense earlier in October.
This project aims to enhance the reconnaissance and combat capabilities of British forces using advanced technologies. The Ministry of Defense stated in its procurement announcement that the initiative is designed to "create conditions for unfair combat." Within the framework of "Asgard," an increase in the range of weapon applications and the development of communication and data exchange systems, including communication between NATO headquarters and the UK Ministry of Defense with the troops, is planned.
Healey reported that "Asgard" will be presented next year. The procurement announcement indicates that the first developments are expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2025.
Furthermore, during the NATO summit, the United Kingdom announced that it will collaborate with Germany, France, Poland, and Italy in the development of the next generation of long-range missiles. Sources from the Times within the military department reported that these missiles will be more advanced than the UK's Storm Shadow system. London has also agreed to join an initiative aimed at unifying European air defense systems.
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In February 2022, the UK announced an increase in its military contingent in Estonia from 900 to 1,800 personnel. In mid-September of this year, Estonia opened a new military base located 45 km from the border with Russia. This base can accommodate up to 1,000 military personnel from both the Estonian army and NATO allied forces.
Earlier reports indicated that the military of Poland and the Baltic states would provide an "immediate response" at the onset of an armed conflict with Russia. One of the priority targets planned for an early strike during the Russian aggression will be St. Petersburg.