was a panellist at
the Reagan National Defense Forum, at the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library in California, where he discussed the
importance of allies working collectively in the modern
world.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Defence
Secretary said:
The UK has been with the US through thick and thin – we
share values and stand together in global leadership. The
UK is not slipping back to our shores but is in fact
stepping out.
Our budget is rising year-on-year, boosted by more than a
billion dollars to invest in Armed Forces, and in 2019 we
are poised to take our great relationship to even greater
heights.
During the conference, Mr Williamson also held a one-to-one
bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis,
to discuss how to combat emerging threats, both state-based
and from extremist organisations.
He also visited Edwards Air Force Base, home to the US’ Air
Force Test Pilot School and NASA’s Armstrong Flight
Research Center.
The UK is the US’ only tier one partner on the F-35
programme, the biggest defence project in history. That
partnership led to a historic moment in September, when the
first batch of F-35 jets landed on the UK’s new aircraft
carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, off the east coast of the US.
Unmanned Air Systems and a Common Missile Compartment for
UK-US Ballistic Missile Submarines are other recent
examples of collaboration.
Both nations play leading roles in NATO, which is vital to
our transatlantic partnership. Both countries have been
calling for other nations to invest more in security and to
increase the readiness of their forces. By the end of 2018,
eight members are meeting the commitment of spending 2% of
their GDP on defence, compared with just three in 2014.
An even closer bond is expected after Brexit, as the UK
establishes new relationships and trade deals outside of
Europe.
