Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC
The US Department of Defense has signed an outline agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence. The aim is to facilitate closer defence co-operation, ease the flow of technology and put in place a model for similar types of open arrangements with other countries allied to Washington.
The declaration of principles for defence equipment and industrial co-operation is intended to serve as a map for clearing hurdles that have previously hindered arms exports and international collaboration.
"We're shifting from a culture of protecting technology to protecting and sharing where necessary," says James Bodner, US principal deputy undersecretary for defence policy. Similar agreements are being negotiated with European NATO partners France, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as Australia.
The timing of the move is significant as Washington has opened negotiations on international participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) engineering and manufacturing development phase, which will involve sensitive stealth technology.
The MoD says talks are not programme specific, but areas covered by the agreement - including exports, handling of classified information and research and technology - have an impact on the UK Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) competition and the privatisation of the UK's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. The USA has offered the UK joint air-to-air missile development if it picks Raytheon's BVRAAM proposal over its Matra BAe Dynamics rival. Export of the missile and its effect on Eurofighter sales is a sensitive subject.
Privatisation of DERA has been criticised by the USA (Flight International, 25-31 January). UK industry sources warn that the talks fall a long way short of assuaging concerns related to JSF technology transfer.
There exists a high-level co-operation and investment between the two country's aerospace industries. The agreement is designed to build on these links and "remove some of the impediments so that more of them proceed," says Bodner. It does not, however, cover areas traditionally the concern of the Justice, Commerce or State departments, such as corporate acquisitions or export licences.
"What we anticipate is that, in the follow-on discussions with the British, it will be necessary, depending on the topic, to bring in other government agencies, because the DoD is not the only stakeholder in this." The declaration is intended to lead within 12 months to legally binding working level arrangements.
Source: Flight International
