The UK and Germany are going to jointly develop a new “deep precision strike” weapon with a range of more than 1,200 miles, London said on May 15.
The move follows a commitment that the countries made to develop new weapons in a bilateral defense pact known as the Trinity House Agreement, signed in October 2024.
The weapons project was set to be jointly announced by British Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, in Berlin later on May 15.
Healy and Pistorius will also discuss a joint procurement program for Sting Ray torpedoes for P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, to improve both countries’ ability to counter underwater threats.
Healey stated: “The UK and Germany have never been closer, and the Trinity House Agreement is already making a positive impact on our security and economy. This partnership is helping us make defence an engine for growth—creating jobs, boosting skills, and driving investment across the UK and Germany.
“In a more dangerous world, NATO and European allies stand united. Together with Germany, we’re leading the way in supporting Ukraine, defending NATO’s eastern flank, and jointly investing in next-generation capabilities.”
Britain was a founding member of NATO, joining the alliance in 1949, while West Germany joined in 1955 during the Cold War. East Germany became part of the alliance after German reunification in 1990.
The UK and Germany are currently Europe’s two biggest economies.
Further details on the project’s timeline or budget have not yet been released.
Since the Trinity House Agreement was signed, German crews have joined Royal Air Force personnel in two flights on UK P-8 Poseidon aircraft, according to the UK’s defense ministry.
The ministers are set to meet again on May 16 alongside their Polish, Italian, and French counterparts in a meeting of the European Group of Five defense ministers in Rome.
The quintet last met in Paris in March and discussed support for Ukraine and Europe’s place in NATO.
The move by Berlin and London comes amid a continent-wide recalibration of defense policy and expenditure after U.S. President Donald Trump made clear that he expects Europe to take more responsibility for its own security.
The fiscal plan includes 500 billion euros (about $559 billion) for a special fund for infrastructure and plans to largely remove defense spending from domestic rules that cap borrowing.
February saw Friedrich Merz, now the German chancellor, call for a discussion on “nuclear sharing” with France, while in March, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland was “talking seriously with the French” about the “idea of a nuclear umbrella over Europe.”
