British jets join French nuclear deterrence exercise for 1st time

British Typhoon fighter jets have joined a French nuclear deterrence exercise for the first time, French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said Friday.

Royal Air Force Typhoons flew alongside French Rafale jets in a drill organized by the air force units responsible for France’s airborne nuclear deterrent, Vautrin said on US social media company X.

She called it “a decisive milestone” in bilateral defense cooperation, demonstrating “the coordination and commitment of the two European nuclear powers to Europe’s security and credible deterrence.”

The drill follows the Northwood agreement signed by France and Britain in July 2025, which provides for closer coordination between their nuclear deterrents while preserving independent national decision-making.

The cooperation comes amid concerns over European security and efforts to strengthen the continent’s deterrence capabilities.

France has also sought to broaden cooperation with European partners through an initiative President Emmanuel Macron outlined March 2 at the Ile Longue submarine base near Brest.

The initiative aims to strengthen the European dimension of France’s nuclear deterrent while keeping the authority to use nuclear weapons exclusively with the French president.

Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland have joined or expressed interest in the initiative, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.