UK, France sign deal on military cooperation
Source: Agencies |
November 3, 2010, Wednesday
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EUROPE'S two nuclear-armed powers struck a deal yesterday for unprecedented cooperation on defense - sharing warhead testing facilities and aircraft carriers to preserve their military might in an era of austerity.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were in London and pledged a new era of collaboration - seeking to spread the hefty costs of defense as their economies recover from the global financial crisis.
"This is a decision which is unprecedented and it shows a level of trust and confidence between our two nations that is unequaled in history," Sarkozy said.
The continent's two largest military powers will also announce the formation of a joint expeditionary force - a pool of about 5,000 soldiers able to deploy together at short notice on peacekeeping, rescue or combat missions.
Senior British officials said the two countries will also agree to some shared use of each other's aircraft carriers, as defense cuts mean both nations will have only one carrier each in the future.
Fighter jets will be able to land on carriers from either country - initially during training - providing cover when one nation has its carrier in dock for maintenance.
Cameron told a Cabinet meeting that the nuclear testing plan alone would save "hundreds of millions of pounds." However, officials declined to estimate how much the defense agreements will save from budgets.
Last month, Britain announced an 8 percent cut to the annual 37 billion pound (US$59 billion) defense budget over four years and confirmed that 17,000 soldiers, a fleet of jets and an aging aircraft carrier would all be lost to cuts.
The two nations will cooperate on the development of new unmanned aerial drones, satellite communications and submarine technology. London and Paris are also likely to strengthen intelligence sharing under the deal, officials said.
"...We can work together - and save money," Cameron told lawmakers on Monday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were in London and pledged a new era of collaboration - seeking to spread the hefty costs of defense as their economies recover from the global financial crisis.
"This is a decision which is unprecedented and it shows a level of trust and confidence between our two nations that is unequaled in history," Sarkozy said.
The continent's two largest military powers will also announce the formation of a joint expeditionary force - a pool of about 5,000 soldiers able to deploy together at short notice on peacekeeping, rescue or combat missions.
Senior British officials said the two countries will also agree to some shared use of each other's aircraft carriers, as defense cuts mean both nations will have only one carrier each in the future.
Fighter jets will be able to land on carriers from either country - initially during training - providing cover when one nation has its carrier in dock for maintenance.
Cameron told a Cabinet meeting that the nuclear testing plan alone would save "hundreds of millions of pounds." However, officials declined to estimate how much the defense agreements will save from budgets.
Last month, Britain announced an 8 percent cut to the annual 37 billion pound (US$59 billion) defense budget over four years and confirmed that 17,000 soldiers, a fleet of jets and an aging aircraft carrier would all be lost to cuts.
The two nations will cooperate on the development of new unmanned aerial drones, satellite communications and submarine technology. London and Paris are also likely to strengthen intelligence sharing under the deal, officials said.
"...We can work together - and save money," Cameron told lawmakers on Monday.
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