UK and Poland enhance cooperation

Air January 15, 2026

The Royal Navy’s submarine-hunting Merlin helicopters will receive world-class maintenance under a £165 million contract extension, supporting 1,000 skilled UK jobs.

The United Kingdom and Poland have formalised a comprehensive agreement to significantly deepen bilateral defence ties, specifically targeting the enhancement of air and missile defence capabilities and the expansion of joint helicopter training.

This strategic alignment, confirmed during a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Polish President Karol Nawrocki at Downing Street, signals a major expansion in military integration and industrial collaboration between the two nations. Central to the agreement is a commitment to explore the joint development and procurement of next-generation capabilities designed to counter a range of evolving air threats. Crucially for the UK defence industry, both nations have pledged to investigate the establishment of new manufacturing capacity within Europe, presenting substantial long-term opportunities for prime contractors and sub-contractors to engage in sovereign production and cross-border supply chains.

The cooperation includes a sophisticated training component delivered through the UK-led NATO initiative, Delivering Integrated Air and Missile Operational Networked Defences (DIAMOND). Under this framework, British and Polish forces will utilise high-fidelity virtual training environments to refine air defence coordination. This move highlights an increasing reliance on digital-first training solutions, offering clear prospects for technology providers specialising in simulation, synthetic environments, and networked defence systems. Furthermore, the agreement encompasses a significant expansion of helicopter training cooperation. Starting this summer, the first of eight Polish military helicopter pilots will commence advanced training in the United Kingdom under the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) programme. This initiative will be supported by two experienced Polish instructors permanently stationed at RAF Shawbury for a full rotational tour, ensuring a continuous exchange of tactical expertise and preparing aircrews for future roles in attack helicopter operations.

From a commercial and economic perspective, the deepening relationship is underpinned by robust financial commitments and proven industrial success. UK-Polish defence industrial collaboration has contributed approximately £8 billion to the UK economy over the past three years, illustrating the sector’s role as a vital engine for national growth. This partnership is further supported by the UK Government’s commitment to increase the defence budget to record levels, with a projected spend of £270 billion over the current parliament. For businesses operating within the UK defence sector, these figures represent a stable and expanding market with clear avenues for international export and collaborative development. As Poland remains a key ally on NATO’s eastern flank, the continued maturation of this alliance provides a predictable framework for long-term industrial engagement and technological innovation across the European defence landscape.