British jets and soldiers show ‘absolute commitment’ to Indo-Pacific

Britain has sent fighter jets and a record contingent of marine commandos to participate in Australian-hosted military exercises this month, underscoring the country’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

British Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters on the tarmac in Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black.

Britain has sent fighter jets and a record contingent of marine commandos to participate in Australia-hosted military exercises this month, underscoring the country’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific ahead of a “root and branch” defence review.

Six Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters will participate in Exercise Pitch Black, while an amphibious force from the country’s 40th Commando unit will join Exercise Predator’s Run to train with Australian Army, US Marine Corps and Philippines Army counterparts.

The deployments come less than a fortnight after Labour’s return to power under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced a major review this week of the country’s “hollowed out” armed forces. Labour has a “NATO-first” defence policy, but the head of its defence review, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, has said Britain now viewed China as a potential adversary, along with Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Britain’s defence adviser to Australia, Brigadier Nigel Best, said the UK focus on NATO did not diminish the importance of the Indo-Pacific to the country’s interests. “Gone are the days when you could divide up the quadrants of the earth and get different allies to lead in different areas,” he said. “Those challenges are indivisible. What happens in Europe affects the Indo-Pacific and vice versa.”

Former British minister for armed forces James Heappey, left, British High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell and British Defence Adviser Brigadier Nigel Best in Cairns to inspect British patrol boats. Picture: Brendan Radke

Brigadier Best said NATO was a priority for Britain “but it’s not a binary in terms of more NATO, less Indo-Pacific”. He said the new government was also “absolutely committed” to AUKUS, which Sir Keir emphasised in a phone call with Anthony Albanese soon after his election. He said Britain remained ­committed to basing one of its ­Astute-class submarines in ­Western Australia from 2027, and to the 2025 deployment of a ­carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific.

Two British offshore patrol boats would also continue to have a permanent presence in the region, Brigadier Best said.

He said the British contingent for Exercise Predator’s Run, in the Northern Territory, was unprecedented, and included 800 personnel and two auxiliary ships equipped with helicopters and landing craft. The UK’s Pitch Black deployment was also significant, and was being made as part of a joint contribution to the exercise with France.

Defence Minister Richard Marles with British Defence Secretary John Healey in Rotherham, England, last week. Picture: Getty Images

Australia is relying on Britain to take the lead in designing the future SSN AUKUS nuclear submarines that both nations will operate. But the UK, like Australia, is suffering from major capacity constraints, and must first build two Astute nuclear boats and the first of its Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.

Defence Minister Richard Marles toured the UK’s main ­submarine base in Scotland this week with British counterpart John Healey.

The pair also visited a steel production company, Sheffield Forgemasters, which is already producing items for the future AUKUS boats. “This is a real demonstration that AUKUS is happening,” Mr Marles said.