Through the Defence Investment Plan, the UK will strengthen its global leadership, and we will work with our allies and partners to deliver our commitments. The plan confirms existing industrial partnerships and provides new opportunities to collaboratively develop the next generation of capabilities.

On 6 July 2026, the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, and Poland reiterated our shared commitment to strengthening defence financing through the establishment of a Multilateral Defence Mechanism (MDM). As part of this commitment, the Defence Investment Plan includes £400 million towards the UK's contribution to the MDM.

This independent international financial institution will address our collective challenges in defence procurement by aggregating demand through procurement to achieve better value for money. It will lend to members for joint procurement, stockpiling on members' behalf, and supply chain finance to improve capability, interoperability, and value for money.

We continue to work with close allies to move quickly to formal Treaty negotiations, respecting individual members' ratification processes, while maintaining the shared ambition of setting up the MDM by 2027.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with HM Treasury and like-minded NATO allies on the establishment of a Multilateral Defence Mechanism.

This independent international financial institution will help member countries improve capability, interoperability and value for money, while giving industry greater demand certainty.

The Government also expects the UK defence sector, including SMEs, to be well placed to benefit, including through support for supply chains, capacity expansion, and firms with less access to finance, strengthening UK and allied industrial capability while supporting growth, resilience, and readiness across the defence sector.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with HM Treasury and with Finland, Netherlands, Poland and other like-minded NATO allies on the establishment of a Multilateral Defence Mechanism (MDM). The Defence Investment Plan includes £400 million towards the UK’s contribution to the MDM.

This independent international financial institution will address our collective challenges in defence procurement by aggregating demand through procurement to achieve better value for money. It will lend to members for joint procurement, stockpiling on members' behalf, and supply chain finance. This mechanism will help member countries improve capability, interoperability and value for money, while giving industry greater demand certainty.

Work is underway to further progress the MDM which would include building on technical development and move to the next phase of mechanism design and development.

The Government is committed to implementing the Strategic Defence Review to deliver a more integrated, innovative and technologically advanced force, working closely with Allies and partners to strengthen collective security and maintain our competitive edge. The Defence Investment Plan delivers this vision, giving our service personnel the capabilities they need to deter and fight, better reflecting the way that war is waged today and enabling Defence to respond effectively to evolving threats while reinforcing deterrence alongside like-minded nations.

Through NATO, AUKUS, the Joint Expeditionary Force and other partnerships, the UK is collaborating on the development and adoption of advanced capabilities.

Examples include Artificial Intelligence, which will continue to be central to Defence's international collaboration including through AUKUS and GCAP; autonomous mine hunting capabilities, jointly procured with France; and the development of amphibious transport ships optimised for hybrid drone warfare with the Netherlands.

The Uncrewed Systems Centre has evolved from the UK's leadership of the 21-nation Drone Capability Coalition for Ukraine and is international by design. Announcements on international partnerships will be made in the usual way.

As close allies, the UK and Poland enjoy deep cooperation on air and missile defence capabilities, as evidenced by industrial cooperation for Poland's NAREW ground-based air defence programme.

The UK-Poland Joint Programme Office (JPO) was established in June 2025 to support this cooperation by monitoring delivery of existing programmes and facilitating the development of new programmes. The JPO will therefore play an important role in the Northolt Treaty commitment to develop joint medium range air defence capabilities.

As a leading European Carrier Strike nation, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force play a key role in the European Carrier Group Interoperability Initiative, contributing to multinational efforts that strengthen interoperability and enable more effective and rapid integration of multinational Carrier Strike Groups when required.

In accordance with the fourth report of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, we are prioritising collaboration and capability development with European allies, including Poland.

The UK and Poland signed the Northolt Treaty on 27 May, a bilateral security and defence treaty which includes a commitment to develop joint capabilities. Building upon our existing strong cooperation on air and missile defence exemplified by the decade long commitment to the NAREW ground-based air defence programme, we will be looking to develop state of the art medium range air defence effectors.

Since June 2025 we have also established a UK-Poland Joint Programme Office to support collaboration and the delivery of air and missile defence capabilities.

Following the UK-France Lancaster House 2.0 declaration in July 2025, the Ministry of Defence regularly engages with French counterparts on detailed planning for the Combined Joint Force (CJF). We are working together to define the timeline for establishing the CJF and reaching full operational capability.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 February 2026 to Question 113496 to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr Pritchard).

The burden‑sharing arrangements for the UK–Belgium Mission Data programme were agreed as part of the Memorandum of Understanding underpinning the partnership.

The UK and Belgium are the founding partnership nations of the MQ-9 International Cooperation Support Partnership which, now also includes Canada, Denmark, Germany, and Poland. Collaboration through this partnership enhances the capability through the sharing of information and equipment costs (sensors and weapons), as well as training, operating, and sustaining the capability to further interoperability.

Formed under the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, the UK's lead position as the first nation to employ Protector RG Mk1 (MQ-9B), will enhance UK, Allied and NATO operational output. In addition to air system benefits and airworthiness information, the UK is also supporting Belgium with aircrew and engineer training at RAF Waddington and in Florennes Air Base.

Further to the Department’s press release entitled “UK and Belgium sign multi‑million pound Mission Data partnership”, published on 31 March 2026, the Programme is expected to deliver a fully functional and sustainably supported Belgian Joint Electromagnetic Warfare Support Centre by the end of 2028.

The maximum financial contribution for Belgium is €150 million. This is inclusive of VAT and other taxes, customs duties and similar charges, and accounts for inflation.

The UK is considering a bilateral programme with Norway to procure a Joint Commando Craft (JCC) and, working in conjunction with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, has released a Request for Information. The programme is intended to deliver vessels capable of transporting specialist personnel and equipment, including uncrewed and autonomous systems, for insertion and extraction in demanding littoral environments.

Project Convergence is a series of multinational experiments led by the United States Army Futures Command to test, integrate, and evaluate emerging technologies that enable faster, data driven decision making across domains.

The United Kingdom participates in Project Convergence as part of its long-standing cooperation with the United States Army on future force development, experimentation, and interoperability. The British Army’s participation ensures that it remains interoperable, digitally connected and prepared for the future demands of conflict.

The forthcoming Defence Investment Plan will set out how the UK will deliver the ambition of the Strategic Defence Review, ensuring we are integrated into NATO force structures by design but capable of acting as an integrated sovereign force when needed. This includes consideration of enabling capabilities such as munitions stockpiles, cyber resilience, space assets, and critical industrial capacity.

While the UK-US defence relationship remains foundational to our defence and national security, and the UK derives great benefit from it, it is right that the UK continues to invest in a balanced mix of sovereign, bilateral and multilateral programmes. This ensures our Armed Forces can operate effectively with allies, lead when necessary, and maintain freedom of action in any future strategic environment.

The UK and France work closely together on a range of nuclear research and technology matters, including as part of the 2010 Teutates Treaty. Our deepening co-operation under the 2025 Northwood Declaration includes nuclear policy, capabilities and operations.

Release of information relating to the UK’s nuclear deterrent and our collaboration with Allies on nuclear matters is considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account considerations regarding national security, defence and international relations.

The US and UK remain steadfast allies and will continue to closely cooperate on a range of defence and security issues. But how the US Department of War manages the use of technology in their systems is a matter for them. The UK’s Defence AI Strategy recognises AI systems must be adopted to avoid falling behind adversaries, whilst mandating robust cybersecurity and safety measures for these systems. The MOD’s Joint Service Publication 936 mandates that AI systems deployed in UK defence environments must be safe, robust, and secure, must pass relevant assurance checks, and comply with the Government Cyber Security Standard and Secure By Design principles.