Poltics
60 years within the past, the skies above Riyadh bore search to a worthy demonstration as a supersonic plane shot into the atmosphere at twice the rate of sound.
Lovely two years later and 40 of these iconic English Electrical Lightning jets were heading to Saudi Arabia the attach they turned as revered an icon of the skies over right here as they were back within the UK.
But that special flight also looked as if it would send our possess partnership into the stratosphere.
1964 noticed the first British navy mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard, and 14 years after that we introduced all one of the best plot thru a mission crew which has been supporting you with recommendation, information and communications carrier ever since.
So that one pioneering flight demonstrated ours is a partnership built from the strongest of frames. An figuring out of the cost of Defence, an appreciation of the deserves of innovation, and a desire to help working collectively.
And one of the best plot fitting then that 60 years on, right here at this great World Protection Indicate, we are yet again celebrating a partnership that’s inserting on the afterburners.
No longer greatest will we predict on a mutual commitment to combat air that’s taken us from Lightning, to Twister, to Typhoon – with a entire bunch of UK navy personnel now committed to Saudi programmes.
But now we appreciate also stepped up the tempo on the ground as smartly, with our Defence Cooperation Idea catalysing deeper cooperation between our Land Forces.
On the other hand, my motive in attending this great exhibition is now to no longer reminisce about our past, nor even to think on our demonstrate, it is to communicate about our future.
On memoir of if the unheard of memoir of the Lightning tells us one thing, it’s that when a chance arises in our mutual interests, we know how to clutch it collectively.
And frankly, after I contemplate round me, I peek opportunity abounds.
Yours is a nation buzzing with vitality. Creating fresh cities out of sand, redefining sport by information superhighway net hosting the World Cup in E-sports. Spearheading the fee in direction of a greener future.
But if there’s one match that looked as if it would encapsulate your sense of ambition, it develop into what befell closing year, when Saudi fighter pilot and astronaut, Ali Al-Qarni, and his crew member, Rayyanah Barnawi, turned the first two Saudi astronauts to search recommendation from the International Dwelling Station.
Proof – if it were wanted – that you are nation in fast forward.
You’ve bottled lightning, and now you’re accelerating in direction of the long accelerate with rising velocity.
The UK wants to be on that bound with you. But there’s greatest one ingredient that can pull us back down to earth.
Instability.
For a long time our prosperity and growth has been underpinned by the international ideas-based converse, yet at the moment we stay in a worthy more unhealthy world. Our once first rate converse is beneath threat from the likes of massive state aggressors and from rogue states, whose terrorist proxies are hell-bent on destroying our freedom and unfavorable our wealth.
So now is the time to tighten our ties.
How? First by working collectively – within the phrases of your convention, to be geared up for tomorrow.
Once upon a time we showcased a jet on your skies. This day we’ve introduced more than 30 of
our perfect UK corporations to your demonstrate, along side a Wildcat helicopter, delivered by one of our Royal Air Power’s A400M transport plane.
Demonstrating our abilities now no longer only within the air, however on land, sea, cyber and residential. Our delegation are experts in vitality and engines, in serious formulation and complicated weapons, in state-of-the-art surveillance and subsequent generation digital battle.
Our members know all the pieces there is to know in mine counter-measures and military suspension and sturdy materials, 3D sensors, sonars, and uncrewed methods.
But my 2nd point is that we are searhing for a ways more than a transient transaction.
We want to assemble an even deeper industrial partnership.
Saudi Arabia moderately rightly wants to develop its possess defence industrial substandard – and we want to will let you accumulate there – creating mutually if truth be told handy functionality programmes to reinforce regional security.
Already now we appreciate a deep industrial partnership stretching all one of the best plot thru air, land, sea and cyber.
To clutch only one instance, BAE’s team right here in Saudi Arabia is practically 75 per cent Saudi.
Which brings me to my third and closing point: Both our nations half pressing strategic priorities.
We both look to composed conflicts. We both desire de-escalation. And even as Saudi Arabia targets for the stars, so its affect on terra firma is rising too.
It has a main feature to play in this location as interlocutors, as mediators and as leaders.
So I peek us doing more collectively to back shore up our international ideas-based converse. Doing more to assemble sure adherence to international humanitarian legislation. Doing more to quit a breakdown in regional security, so we guarantee the safety and security of all members.
Sixty years within the past, we introduced Lightning to this great Kingdom and helped transform our partnership.
Sixty years on, we’re now making an attempt to elevate our relationship to even greater heights.
I, for one, am a solid believer that Lightning can strike twice.
