The UK and Poland have pledged closer collaboration to counter air and missile threats, aiming to enhance the defense of their airspace, according to a press release from the UK Ministry of Defense.
The announcement came on Tuesday as Polish President Karol Nawrocki met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Downing Street.
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The pair of NATO allies will step up joint training of helicopter pilots and work together on new capabilities to counter air attacks, as well as encouraging the establishment of new manufacturing capacity in Europe.
British and Polish troops are also set to train together in virtual environments to work on bettering coordinated air defense techniques, while eight Polish military helicopter pilots will start training from this summer under the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) program.
RAF Shrewsbury in the West Midlands will host two Polish helicopter instructors for a full rotational tour.
“The UK and Poland’s defense relationship has never been stronger. Standing strong on NATO’s eastern flank, Poland is a crucial ally for the UK in this era of rising threats,” John Healey, the UK defense secretary, said.
“This new cooperation we have announced today will see more joint training and integration between our two militaries,” he continued.
“It is another example of how the UK and Poland are stepping up to defend Europe and face down the threat from Putin.”
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“Poland and the United Kingdom have been close allies for decades. Our partnership is particularly important in the field of security,” Nawrocki said on X, thanking Starmer.
Nawrocki also posted an image of himself greeting the Downing Street cat, Larry. who serves as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office and has lived in the residence throughout the premierships of six prime ministers.
Over 350 British personnel are currently deployed across Poland, while British and Polish pilots fly alongside each other as part of NATO’s Eastern Sentry mission.
The deepening partnership comes after fears sparked by repeated incursions into NATO airspace by Russia-linked drones.
On Sept. 9, a swarm of between 19 and 23 drones launched from Russian sites entered Polish airspace, forcing it to scramble NATO jets. Since then, rogue drones have been spotted in at least 10 European countries, including over key military sites.
In response, EU leaders discussed plans for a so-called drone wall, a layered network of systems intended to detect, track and neutralise hostile drones using sensors, jammers and weapons.
Healey said last year that British armed forces would get new powers to shoot down suspicious drones over military sites as part of the Armed Forces Bill.
On Friday, Ukraine and the UK signed a roadmap for a century-long defense partnership focusing on air defense, drones and long-range weapons.