Speeches by Sandher-Jones.

“Thematically, geographically or both?”

“We have supported operations on other ships. It would be very helpful if I could explain to you the operational conditions and decision-making processes as to why we target one ship as opposed to another.”

“I don’t think so. The JEF can cover a range of different types of operations, and it enhance some of the ASW activities that we do—we work closely with a lot of JEF nations on such activities, so it supports that. The JEF is about bringing these nations together, but we are obviously able to pursue different lines at t…”

“With anti-submarine warfare in general?”

“I do not believe that the JEF is taking away from anti-submarine warfare operations. We would always like to be able to do more, for certain, but I do not think that the JEF is pulling resources or focus away from that.”

“But for the avoidance of doubt, we have significant layers of support to our continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent; I think it is very important to state that. When I look at what we currently have in support of the security of the High North and the Arctic, we have the carrier strike group conducting exercises there at …”

“You are absolutely right that deterrence is fundamental, and never more so than when we talk about the High North and the Arctic. The foundation of the UK’s deterrence is, of course, our independent UK nuclear deterrent, and we are the only European country to assign it to the defence of NATO. We are well placed to sho…”

“No, not in terms of the High North versus Baltic.”

“I cannot comment on operations to do with our nuclear deterrent.”

“The JEF already has good links with Canada. They participated in Exercise Tarassis. That is really helpful and useful. It is important to remember that it is for JEF nations to decide where they would want to take the focus forward, and how that could work with nations like Canada or if other nations were interested. I…”

“For me, we need to recognise the change in the threat picture that we are facing, which is nothing like I have experienced in my lifetime. We are seeing hugely disruptive changes, be they in technology or in certain geopolitical realignments. These are significant, century-defining changes that we are facing, and we ne…”

“I think the JEF is primarily focused on interoperability, training and coalition building. Although in a crisis it might have an operational focus, and I understand that we would perhaps look at how it would work together, it very much focuses on pre-crisis preparation. JFC is one of the operational-level commands that…”

“Well, I think we can point to some of the advantages, but equally I can recognise that some of the great effect of the JEF is down to the fact that it has been a tighter group of nations with a tighter focus, and that its exercises and some of the principles behind them have had a specific focus. I do not see it as a b…”

“Do I want Canada to join? Unfortunately, I do not think it is down to what I want. What I recognise is that the JEF’s focus has come about as a European focus on the High North and the Baltic, and it has been very much founded on the principle that these nations are working together to deal with shared threats. I think…”

“The JEF is focused on the coalition element. That is interoperability training, working together and focusing on specific interests within Europe that we have a shared focus on. We can see that from the activity that is conducted as part of the JEF—for example, training exercises—that that is really useful and valuable…”

“Do you mean specifically nuclear, or conventional as well?”

“A range of elements. That would be surveillance platforms, such as more P-8s, but it is not just about the platforms; it is support from space and other radars. Crucially, it is also about how we bring that together in a single intelligence picture.”

“I am quite biased, and I would always say that ISR is hugely important. Any platform you have that can deliver a kinetic effect is much more impactful if you have good ISR.”

“If our deterrence is based on capability and our alliances—the strength of how we can work with other countries and interoperate with them—it sends another powerful message that shows how NATO is working together. That co-operation is obviously going to take lots of different forms. It will involve various different NA…”

“We would never have a gap in capability. The capability that is provided is so important.”