Maria Eagle, the Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry, has called for an expanded defence industrial collaboration between the UK and France, with a focus on missile development, space, AI, and hybrid warfare. Her comments, made during a speech at RUSI and IFRI in London on 5th March, highlight the urgent need for deeper collaboration to bolster European security and deter further Russian aggression.
Eagle stressed the importance of a robust industrial base to support military power. She urged for a renewed UK-France defence partnership that would go beyond existing missile programmes, reinforcing the necessity of such collaboration. The success of “One MBDA,” a long-standing partnership between the UK and France, was central to her remarks, showcasing joint advancements in defensive and offensive missile systems such as Meteor and SCALP/Storm Shadow. Eagle also highlighted the importance of the Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapons (FC/ASW) programme, which promises to give Europe its most advanced deep-strike capability.
Key Quotes from Maria Eagle:
“Through ‘One MBDA’ we’ve helped safeguard European missile production capabilities and delivered innovative defensive and offensive systems… Together we are co-developing powerful Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapons, a sovereign capability that boosts our industrial resilience and will deliver the most advanced deep-strike weapons in Europe.”
Eagle also emphasized the ongoing Maritime Mine Counter-Measures Project with Thales, which will soon equip the UK with autonomous mine-hunting technology, marking a milestone in maritime defence advancements.
In her call for broader defence industrial collaboration, Eagle introduced the term “Entente Industrielle,” envisioning a UK-France partnership that transcends missile development. She encouraged that the upcoming June UK-France Summit should focus on expanding this cooperation into other critical areas like space, AI, and grey-zone warfare while reinforcing NATO’s deterrence capabilities.
Warning of the continued threat posed by Russia, Eagle urged Europe to act decisively to prevent further aggression. She stated:
“If we are to re-establish security across the European continent and dissuade Putin from coming back again to invade one of his sovereign neighbours, we need to use our Summit in June to broaden our defence industrial collaboration.”
Eagle also positioned European deterrence as not only a strategic necessity but also an economic opportunity, noting that expanding defence manufacturing ties would support thousands of jobs in both the UK and France. In her speech, she revealed that the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy is nearing completion, with public consultations currently concluding. This strategy will prioritize international collaborations like those with France, focusing on standardization, interoperability, and strengthening defence supply chains.
The Minister reiterated the UK’s pursuit of a new security pact with the EU, stating:
“We know the EU has a role to play in building a larger, more innovative, and more responsive European defence sector. And we would welcome French support as we seek an ambitious new UK-EU security pact.”
Eagle pointed out the importance of increasing Europe’s industrial resilience, citing NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan, the DIAMOND integrated air and missile defence initiative, and the European Long-Range Strike Approach as vital frameworks to enhance. She argued that collective procurement would improve Europe’s military readiness while boosting efficiency:
“Collective procurement will deliver more of the capabilities we need across the continent to deter Putin… and deliver more bang for our Pounds and Euros.”
The Minister will soon meet with her French counterpart, Délégué Emmanuel Chiva, at the High-Level UK-France Working Group to push for deeper integration of European defence industries. This meeting will lay the groundwork for refreshing the Lancaster House Treaties, which have supported UK-French defence cooperation for over 15 years.
Eagle concluded her speech by drawing historical parallels to the Entente Cordiale, stating:
“Like our predecessors who built the Entente Cordiale to secure peace in their time, we must now build an Entente Industrielle to guarantee European security in ours.”