Azernews.Az

Nazrin Abdul

Read more

Britain is set to develop new air defence weapons in partnership with the EU’s four largest military powers, including Germany, France, Italy, and Poland, in a move that strengthens ties between the UK and the European defence sector, AzerNEWS reports, citing BBC.

The programme invites manufacturers from these countries to submit plans for low-cost missiles and autonomous drones, with a focus on creating “lightweight, affordable” surface-to-air weapons. The first project is expected to be delivered by next year.

The initiative, announced at a meeting of the five nations’ defence ministers in Krakow, aims to accelerate joint weapons development, inspired by Ukraine’s rapid domestic drone production in response to Russian attacks. Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the plan would be the first of several efforts by the E5 group to “change the economics of warfare” by matching the cost of defence with the cost of the threats posed by low-cost missiles and drones.

While the budget for the scheme has not been officially confirmed, Pollard noted that each country is committing “multimillion-pound, multimillion-euro” funding. The programme will focus on cooperation with smaller technology companies and streamlined operational requirements to speed up development.

The E5 group, which emerged as a key forum for UK-European defence cooperation outside the EU after Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024, has now met seven times. The drone initiative aligns with a broader UK military review unveiled last year, which proposed easing regulations on autonomous weapons capable of independently identifying targets using AI.

The move reflects growing pressure on European nations to strengthen defence spending following the Ukraine war and concerns over the reliability of the United States as a NATO ally. By developing low-cost missiles and autonomous drones, the UK and its European partners aim to modernize air defence while maintaining affordability in the face of evolving threats from Russia.