Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that work on the joint UK‑German long‑range precision strike missile is accelerating, describing it as one of the major milestones of the Trinity House defence agreement.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Healey told MPs: “Within weeks, we will have German P‑8s flying out of Lossiemouth. We have a new cyber programme to conduct joint activities. We have accelerated work on a new 2,000km deep precision strike missile, and a new £200 million bridging deal to support the British Army. This agreement is more important now than when we signed it a year ago.”
The missile programme was first unveiled in May 2025 as part of the Trinity House Agreement, a bilateral defence partnership designed to strengthen European security, deter threats on NATO’s eastern flank and deepen industrial collaboration between the UK and Germany.
The Ministry of Defence has described the system as one of the most advanced weapons ever produced by Britain, capable of striking targets more than 2,000 kilometres away. The project is expected to attract significant investment into the UK’s defence sector and sustain thousands of skilled jobs in both nations.
Industry sources and defence analysts have for months speculated about the pace and scope of development, with little public information released since the announcement. Healey’s remarks provide the first on‑record confirmation that technical work on the missile is proceeding within the Trinity House framework.
Beyond the missile, the partnership covers maritime warfare, including a joint procurement plan for Sting Ray torpedoes for the P‑8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. German crews have already flown alongside RAF personnel as part of expanding operational collaboration.
Healey said the UK‑German partnership was “making a positive impact on our security and economy,” and described it as vital to both European defence and Britain’s industrial base.
Operational Update: UK and Germany speeding up new 2,000km strike missile
Defence Secretary John Healey has confirmed that work on the joint UK-German long-range strike missile is speeding up, describing it as one of several major milestones under the Trinity House defence agreement.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Healey told MPs: “Within weeks, we will have German P-8s flying out of Lossiemouth. We have a new cyber programme to conduct joint activities. We have accelerated work on a new 2,000km deep precision strike missile, and a new £200 million bridging deal to support the British Army. This agreement is more important now than when we signed it a year ago.”
The missile project was first announced in May 2025 as part of the Trinity House Agreement, a bilateral defence partnership aimed at strengthening European security, deterring threats on NATO’s eastern flank, and deepening industrial collaboration between the UK and Germany.
At the time, the Ministry of Defence described the system as one of the most advanced weapons ever developed by Britain, capable of striking targets over 2,000 kilometres away. The programme is also expected to drive investment into the UK’s defence sector and sustain thousands of skilled jobs across both nations.
Industry sources and defence commentators have speculated in recent months about the pace and scope of development, with few public details released since the project’s initial announcement. Healey’s remarks provide the first on-record indication that technical work on the missile continues to advance within the framework of the Trinity House Agreement.
The broader partnership also covers cooperation on maritime warfare, including a joint procurement plan for Sting Ray torpedoes to equip the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. German crews have already flown alongside RAF personnel as part of growing operational collab.
Healey reiterated that the UK-German partnership is “making a positive impact on our security and economy,” describing it as vital to both European defence and Britain’s industrial base.
