Defence cooperation with France would be a bad idea for Britain

Donald Trump’s recent decision to deny Ukraine access to American intelligence data in the war against Russia has concentrated minds on how the US could restrict Britain’s defence capability, from F-35 stealth jets to its independent nuclear deterrent. Some fears are well-founded. Others, such as the recent suggestion by a former French ambassador to the UK that a ‘dual key’ controls Britain’s submarine-launched Trident ballistic missiles, are a myth. 

The idea is growing in some quarters that now is the moment for Britain to switch away from the US to Europe for defence equipment cooperation. One need not look too far to detect its motivation or to see its naivety. Like the US, European states such as Germany or France are also able to deny the UK use of military systems developed in collaboration, depending on the agreements and export control mechanisms in place.

The Eurofighter Typhoon jet, a joint project between the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, saw Germany block British exports in 2023 to countries like Saudi Arabia over its role in the civil war in Yemen, stymying UK arms sales.