Britain and the Netherlands plan to coordinate defense investment and bolster resilient supply chains, steps their defense ministers say could expand military capabilities and strengthen Europe’s contribution to NATO.
U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting and Netherlands Minister of Defence Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius set out the plans in a joint statement published Wednesday. The governments also want to turn new technology into military capability more quickly.
The ministers said closer industrial cooperation could strengthen both countries’ defense industries and help their armed forces develop capabilities. They presented the plans as part of a wider effort to reinforce NATO’s defense capacity.
One project already in progress is the joint Amphibious Transport Ship. The ministers cited it as an example of British and Dutch industry developing a shared military capability.
The countries are also pursuing closer naval cooperation through the UK-NL Enhanced Maritime Partnership, which aims to improve how their forces operate together at sea.
Their military relationship extends back more than five decades through a joint Amphibious Force. Cooperation now covers land and air operations as well as maritime activity. Both countries also participate in the Joint Expeditionary Force.
The ministers cited support for Ukraine through Multinational Force Ukraine. They also pointed to the Strait of Hormuz Multinational Military Mission as part of their cooperation on maritime security and freedom of navigation.
