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Britain Joins European Cooperation for Long-Range Missile Development.
The war in Ukraine continues to shift the military balance in Europe, prompting NATO to intensify its response. On October 17, 2024, Britain officially announced its participation in a program for developing long-range missiles alongside Germany, France, Poland, and other European partners. This initiative aims to address a gap in military stockpiles highlighted by the conflict in Ukraine, where the use of long-range missiles has become strategically important.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, missiles with ranges of several hundred kilometers have seen renewed importance. (Picture source: MBDA)
British Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed this commitment during a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Brussels. He explained that the UK is formally joining the long-range missile development program, which is intended to improve the integration of European air defense systems, enhancing their collective effectiveness. According to Healey, these missiles will provide capabilities far beyond those currently available to participating nations, in line with NATO's broader goal of strengthening deterrence and protecting Europe.
At the NATO summit in Washington in July, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland had already signed a letter of intent to collaborate on developing missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometers. Military sources at the time indicated that the goal was to create a new land-based cruise missile with a range between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers to meet NATO's deterrence requirements. Britain's participation underscores the importance of the program as Europe seeks to protect itself against external threats, particularly from Russia.
As part of this cooperation, the United States and Germany also announced that starting in 2026, they will temporarily deploy U.S. long-range missiles on German soil, including SM-6, Tomahawk missiles, and developmental hypersonic weapons. This deployment, criticized by Moscow as a "very serious threat" to Russian national security, is seen as a temporary measure until Europe develops its own long-range missiles.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, missiles with ranges of several hundred kilometers have seen renewed importance. Moscow has increased cross-border strikes, while Kyiv has responded by targeting sites within Russian territory. Existing European stocks of cruise missiles, such as Britain's Storm Shadow, France's Scalp, and Germany's Taurus, which have a range of around 500 kilometers, have become critical in addressing these escalating threats.
Alongside the missile development program, Healey also confirmed that Britain is ready to quickly deploy troops to Estonia, if necessary, to bolster NATO's eastern flank against the Russian threat. The UK has already prepared thousands of troops for rapid deployment to strengthen security along the Russian border. This additional military commitment reflects Britain's intention to play a key role in European defense at a time when tensions with Moscow remain high.