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UK and Poland Deepen Missile Defense and Helicopter Training Cooperation to Counter Russian Threat
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The UK and Poland have agreed to deepen cooperation on missile defense and helicopter training as both countries seek to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank and counter the threat posed by Russia, BFBS Forces News reported on January 14.
The agreement was reached during talks at Downing Street between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish President Karol Nawrocki, with the two leaders committing to expanded joint training and closer defense coordination.
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The deal includes plans to explore new air and missile defense capabilities, support additional defense manufacturing capacity in Europe, and train Polish helicopter pilots in the UK under a NATO-led programme.
“The UK and Poland’s defence 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,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
He also stated that it shows how the UK and Poland are “stepping up” to defend Europe, and “face down the threat from Putin”.
Under the agreement, British and Polish forces will also train together in virtual environments to improve air defense coordination without the risks and costs of live-fire exercises, according to BFBS Forces News.
The training will be delivered through the UK-led NATO initiative Delivering Integrated Air and Missile Operational Networked Defences (DIAMOND), launched in 2024 and shaped by lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine.
As part of the cooperation, the first of eight Polish military helicopters will begin training in the UK this summer through the NATO Flight Training Europe Programme, with Polish instructors stationed at RAF Shawbury.
The agreement builds on decades of military cooperation, including the deployment of British forces in Poland and major defense export deals to strengthen Polish air defense, BFBS Forces News wrote.
Previously, Ukraine and Britain signed a road map in Kyiv to develop a century-long defense partnership and set out key areas of defense cooperation for 2026, according to the statement by Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Shmyhal stated that he signed the document alongside British Defense Secretary John Healey, calling it an important step toward implementing large-scale projects made possible by the century partnership agreement between Ukraine and Britain. He said he thanked Healey for visiting Kyiv.
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