UK Invites Germany to Join Tempest Fighter Jet Program

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced during his first official visit to Berlin that the United Kingdom is open to Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme (Gcap). The international coalition, currently consisting of the UK, Italy, and Japan, is developing the Tempest sixth-generation fighter jet to counter threats from Russia and China.

During meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the two leaders ratified the UK-German Kensington Treaty to expand cooperation in defense, science, and technology. They also launched a security partnership to address hybrid threats and convened a regional growth forum to establish an artificial intelligence tech corridor.

Burnham expressed a commitment to closer ties with the European Union, stating that Brexit had done "more harm than good." A summit with the EU is planned for later this year to discuss the future relationship between the UK and the bloc. The diplomatic visit follows recent tensions after the UK government summoned a Russian diplomat to protest drone attacks at Leipzig airport, a site used for Ukrainian support.