Following the delivery of the strategic overview ‘Global Britain in a Competitive Age’ to the UK House of Commons by Prime Minister Boris Johnson;

Harry Boneham, Aerospace and Defense Associate Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“Prime Minister Boris Johnson has laid out his vision for the UK’s role in a post-Brexit world, placing an emphasis on global influence and support for liberal democratic governments. Section 2, point 10 affirms this stance, stating that ‘the UK will also work with allies, like-minded partners and civil society worldwide to protect democratic values.’

“Beneath the rhetoric, the country is expected to face difficulty in forging a new position within the global community – treading the delicate line between establishing a principled position while not alienating crucial regional allies.

“The Prime Minister has highlighted the importance of regional allies in reinforcing a democratic world order, yet, these relationships are not completely in line with the Prime Minister’s stated ideals on closer inspection.

“For example, the UK maintains relationships with states whose adherence to human rights and democratic values is questionable. According to GlobalData’s report, ‘United Kingdom – FY 2020 Defense Budget Analysis, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts’, Saudi Arabia was the UK’s largest defense partner between 2015 and 2019, with the country comprising 46% of UK’s defense exports. Additionally, with the UK’s exit from the EU, the prospect of Europe as a market for British arms exports appears diminished. This leaves a relatively short list of potential major buyers, with the MENA region remaining the preeminent target.

“The Prime Minister’s visions of the UK as a technology superpower, with a domestic defense industrial base dominating in emerging technology fields such as AI and space systems, is, in truth, a bit of a fantasy. Such an industrial base would need to be sustained with significant exports, and, currently, the Middle East appears the most likely source of contracts. MENA states are making strides towards developing their own domestic industrial capabilities – for instance, the EDGE Group in the UAE – but these will take time to mature and so the region remains a lucrative market for defense exports.

“The lofty goals of PM Johnson’s vison for the post-Brexit UK – while commendable in principle – are some distance from being seen in practice.”