PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Britain and France are to order more highly lethal Storm Shadow cruise missiles, while stepping up work on its replacement as part of a new refreshed agreement signed Thursday between the leaders of the two nations.
The new agreement will see the UK and France commit to launch the next phase of their joint project for both deep strike and anti-ship missiles - a step closer to selecting a final design for Storm Shadow's replacement.
The joint development effort will sustain 1,300 highly skilled jobs across the UK, boosting the economy in line with the Government's Plan for Change, according to the UK Ministry of Defense. Upgrading the existing Storm Shadow production lines will support more than 300 jobs at manufacturer MBDA.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will also agree to deepen their nuclear cooperation and work more closely than ever before on nuclear deterrence during their meetings in London.
In an important step forward for the UK-France nuclear partnership - 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.
As such, any adversary threatening the vital interests of Britain or France could be confronted by the strength of the nuclear forces of both nations. Co-operation between both countries on nuclear research will also deepen, while working together to uphold the international non-proliferation architecture.
The UK and France are Europe's only nuclear powers, with deterrents that contribute significantly to the overall security of NATO and the Euro-Atlantic.
Starmer said, 'From war in Europe, to new nuclear risks and daily cyber-attacks - the threats we face are multiplying. As close partners and NATO allies, the UK and France have a deep history of defense collaboration and today's agreements take our partnership to the next level'.
'We stand ready to use our shared might to advance our joint capabilities - equipping us for the decades to come while supporting thousands of UK jobs and keeping our people safe'.
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