Speech

Stronger defence in a more dangerous world

Speech by Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence.

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government
Fallon

I바카라 사이트m delighted to be back in the United States, a place where I always feel at home.

That familiarity reminds me of something President Reagan once said:

Great Britain and the United States are kindred nations of like minded people and must face their tests together.

We are bound by common language and linked in history. We share laws and literature, blood, and moral fiber. The responsibility for freedom is ours to share.

Values under threat

Our freedom was threatened by Nazi evil, and our nations united to defeat it, 70 years ago.

Today it바카라 사이트s threatened by a new evil, Islamist fascism.

This year we바카라 사이트ve seen its followers slaying innocent American people in a San Bernadino day care centre, French people socialising in Paris, and British tourists on a Tunisian beach.

To defeat this evil we require unity of purpose and a total cross government response.

That doesn바카라 사이트t just mean shutting down their online presence, stopping their financial support, preventing fighters crossing borders, and building up capacity of fragile states.

It means calling out their extremist narrative.

Those susceptible to radicalisation must understand that the way of ISIL/Daesh is a metaphorical and literal dead end.

The only item on its agenda is the destruction of our nations and establishment of its own barbaric realm.

Yet no one becomes a terrorist from a standing start.

There바카라 사이트s a process of radicalisation.

So we need to expose that Islamist ideology for the perversion it is.

And we can바카라 사이트t deny this process has anything to do with Islam.

These extremists are self-identifying as Muslims.

As President Obama said in his Oval office address:

This is a real problem that Muslims must confront, without excuse.

But we mustn바카라 사이트t hand a propaganda coup to ISIL/Daesh.

Their mouthpieces and apologists paint their war as a clash between Islam and the west바카라 사이트in order to sow division.

Yet the facts are:

바카라 사이트ISIL/Daesh kills more Muslims than any other group

바카라 사이트and our anti-ISIL/Daesh coalition is made of many Muslim countries

바카라 사이트who recognise

바카라 사이트that what바카라 사이트s at stake

바카라 사이트is a conflict between those who love life

바카라 사이트and those who love death and chaos.

Our challenge is to support reforming voices within the Muslim community, preventing the fusing of religion and politics and stopping the slide into extremism.

At the same time, taking pride in what our 2 nations offer all our people whatever their colour, class or creed: not discrimination or sectarianism, but freedom of religion, tolerance and opportunity for all.

Again quoting President Reagan바카라 사이트speaking here at the Atlantic Council: 바카라 사이트Our consensus is built not only on what we바카라 사이트re against but on what we바카라 사이트re for. And we are against totalitarianism. We바카라 사이트re for freedom and democracy, for them without hesitation or apology.바카라 사이트

We won바카라 사이트t discredit their poisonous ideology, if we are not true to those values.

Use of force

The use of force must be part of this total government response.

There can be no compromise, no deal with Islamo-fascists.

Those who murder innocents at a Christmas party with their co-workers, who behead aid workers and push gay people off buildings must be stopped.

That was the message from UN Security Resolution 2249 which called on states to take 바카라 사이트all necessary measures바카라 사이트 to expunge the extremists.

The US and the UK have always stood side-by-side against terror.

Against Hitler; against Al-Qaeda; and as part of the anti-ISIL/Daesh coalition.

From the very start the UK바카라 사이트s been flying missions in Iraq.

We바카라 사이트re providing some 60 per cent of the Coalition바카라 사이트s tactical reconnaissance.

And last month the UK Parliament voted decisively to answer our allies바카라 사이트 call and lift the shadow of the 2013 Syria vote.

We are stepping up

바카라 사이트alongside our US, French and Coalition allies

바카라 사이트bringing the full force of the RAF to bear

바카라 사이트destroying their infrastructure

바카라 사이트cutting off their oil supplies

바카라 사이트and locking onto their leaders.

Multiple dangers

But our recent National security strategy makes clear ISIL is not the only danger we face.

We바카라 사이트re threatened by multiple, concurrent risks.

바카라 사이트a resurgence of state based threats

바카라 사이트an expansionist Russia

바카라 사이트and a growing cyber threat.

Collectively they challenge the rules-based international order on which our security and prosperity depend.

We are a powerful partner today with capabilities and reach few, if any, US allies can provide.

Tomorrow, we바카라 사이트re going to be an even more powerful partner.

Bigger stronger, defence

First, we바카라 사이트re investing in stronger defence in a more dangerous world.

This government was elected to deliver national as well as economic security.

That바카라 사이트s what we바카라 사이트re doing.

We바카라 사이트re increasing defence spending.

We바카라 사이트re the only major country choosing to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence and meeting the OECD바카라 사이트s goal of at least 0.7 per cent on development.

This helps us stabilise and support broken and fragile states and prevent crises turning into chaos.

Over the next decade we plan to spend more than $265 billion on new equipment.

That money underpins the centrepiece of our Strategic Defence and Security Review, Joint Force 2025.

To respond to increasing demands in future we바카라 사이트ll have

바카라 사이트a potent expeditionary force of up to 50,000

바카라 사이트made up of an army division, maritime task group and air group.

Some retired generals were concerned about the size of the British Army.

Let me reassure them, Britain will remain one of the few countries able to deploy such a highly capable division in the field.

And now we바카라 사이트ll be able to deploy바카라 사이트two self-sustaining strike brigades.

At sea, we바카라 사이트ll have a maritime taskforce of new frigates and destroyers alongside, in the 2020s, the world바카라 사이트s second most capable carrier force.

And in the air, we바카라 사이트ll have more F35s more quickly

바카라 사이트delivering our carrier strike capability

바카라 사이트and 9 new Maritime Patrol Aircraft

바카라 사이트protecting our nuclear deterrent.

All of this and we바카라 사이트re enhancing our global strike capability with more investment in our special forces.

Our new Joint Force lets us do more independently, but also more in tandem with you.

That바카라 사이트s why we바카라 사이트ve made a point of investing in shared platforms

바카라 사이트like P8, like Rivet Joint, like Reaper

And with the United States locating their European F35 base in the UK

바카라 사이트I look forward not just to welcoming you on board our carriers

바카라 사이트 as I was welcomed on USS Theodore Roosevelt

바카라 사이트but seeing your F35s flying from our decks

바카라 사이트and ours flying from yours.

Two-way street

So we have the will and the means to respond.

As we become a stronger partner I want our relationship to become more of a 2-way street.

We바카라 사이트re investing more in you and we바카라 사이트re expecting more from you.

I want to see more contracts in the supply chain flowing from the majors on these programmes to British companies.

We have so much common.

Look at our areas of shared interest such as our nuclear enterprise.

We바카라 사이트re spending almost $47 billion on 4 new Successor submarines.

And the US is also looking to replace the Ohio바카라 사이트 that uses the same common missile compartment.

Look at our expertise in a huge range of areas.

We바카라 사이트re building 15 per cent of each F35 produced, from tail parts to wing tips.

We have unique Dual-Mode Brimstone missiles, bringing a high precision capability to the fight again Daesh not even the US have.

Many of the companies we use have footprints in both the US and the UK.

Illustrating a level of industrial integration that is unique.

It surely makes sense for both of us to benefit from the industrial expertise that exists in our countries.

Strengthening our influence

Second, the UK is doing more to project our influence around the world and strengthen the international rules based order.

This year UK forces were involved in more than 20 operations around the globe.

We바카라 사이트re one of your few global partners.

In Europe, we바카라 사이트re your closest ally.

And we바카라 사이트ve been urging our European colleagues to up their game.

The threats Europe faces on its eastern and southern flanks highlights the value of a joined up response, using our membership of NATO, the UN and the EU to protect our security.

Britain has pressed the EU to play an important role as part of a comprehensive approach, mobilising its economic might to enforce sanctions on Russia and co-operate on security in the wake of Paris.

None of this means giving up on our sovereignty.

What it does mean we can have the best of both worlds: free to act on our own accord with the swiftness and strength that comes from being an independent nation; but working with a bloc of 27 other countries to advance our shared interests.

But NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence.

And at Wales last year our PM and your President, urged NATO nations to do more.

Since then 7 countries have pledged to increase their spending.

We바카라 사이트re also stepping up our leadership role

바카라 사이트l𲹻徱Բ NATO바카라 사이트s high readiness Spearhead force in 2017

바카라 사이트bringing 6 northern EU nations together as a new expeditionary force

바카라 사이트and having a persistent presence in the Baltic states and Poland

We바카라 사이트re also looking beyond Europe바카라 사이트s borders, doubling peace keeping efforts in Africa and strengthening our hand in the Asia Pacific.

We바카라 사이트re elevating our defence relationship with India with more joint military exercises and co-operation on technology and manufacturing.

We바카라 사이트re enhancing our relationship with Japan. In January, we held our first combined Foreign and Defence Ministers바카라 사이트 meeting in London. Next January, we hold the second in Tokyo.

When it comes to China we바카라 사이트re clear.

We want to work more closely with them and bind them into the rules based international order.

But provocative behaviour in the South China Sea destabilises the region and increases the risk of miscalculation.

We want to see maritime and other disputes settled peacefully in accordance with international law.

We바카라 사이트re also investing more than $750 milion over the next decade바카라 사이트expanding our presence with British defence staffs in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.

Innovation

Finally, the UK will have stronger defence because we바카라 사이트re investing in innovation.

The US바카라 사이트s third Offset strategy addresses the erosion of the west바카라 사이트s technological edge.

Our SDSR also recognises the need to keep ahead of our adversaries: in cyber, robotics, autonomous systems, and space.

We바카라 사이트re putting $1.5 billion into an innovation fund to secure operational advantage in future.

You바카라 사이트ve set up the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) to access innovation in Silicon Valley.

We will be launching our Emerging Technology and Innovation Analysis Cell

바카라 사이트to identify game changing technologies.

We바카라 사이트re also setting up a new centre to pool the intelligence of the best British brains in business, academia and the public sector.

And, next year, we introduce a new defence innovation initiative adopting a different approach to risk and doing more to test new ideas.

But we know when we work together we바카라 사이트re more than the sum of our parts.

2015 marks 75 years since British scientist Henry Tizard set off for the US on orders from Churchill, armed only with a top secret briefcase.

That precious cargo, containing blueprints for radar, the jet engine and nuclear fission, helped win a war.

We바카라 사이트re building on those firm foundations.

Today we바카라 사이트re collaborating on everything from F35

바카라 사이트to insect-like Black Hornet UAVs

바카라 사이트and quantum clocks.

Yet as Defence Secretary Carter and I announced in London바카라 사이트we바카라 사이트re tightening those ties

바카라 사이트 working on emerging technology demonstrators

바카라 사이트better use of joint war gaming to test out new ideas

바카라 사이트and adapting new operating concepts fit for a new environment.

Prosperity

The opportunity that comes from innovation has wider applications.

Defence technologies are often spun off in the commercial sector.

Together we바카라 사이트ve given the world GPS, the world wide web, and splash proof technology.

Recently British company Reaction Engines and BAE systems signed a deal to develop the SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine).

Its aircraft will operate at over five times the speed of sound and can transition to a rocket mode, allowing spaceflight at speeds up to orbital velocity.

Once this was science fiction.

Today our scientists are making it science fact.

We need to do more to take advantage of this dual-use technology.

Conclusion

So, at a time of growing threats the UK is stepping up with bigger, stronger defence.

We바카라 사이트re increasing our defence budget and the size and power of our forces so we can do more to protect our security.

By doing so we are becoming an even stronger partner with our most steadfast ally, the United States.

Open societies, successful countries like Britain and the United States, attract enemies as well as envy. The more open we are, the harder we must work to ensure that all our people enjoy the security that comes with greater freedoms.

As we look ahead, we recall the words of Karl Popper who said:

We must plan for freedom, and not only for security, if for no other reason than that only freedom can make security secure.

So together we will plan for security, for freedom and for prosperity.

Together we will overcome the evil we face, preserve our cherished values, and open up opportunity for our people to make their mark

Together, in a darker, more dangerous world we will continue to be a light among the nations.

Updates to this page

Published 11 December 2015