Page 26 - Five Forces of Americanisation Richard Hooke 04072025 final post SDR1

The UK Defence Industry in the 21 Century
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The Five Forces of Americanisation

The Five Forces of Americanisation

The insinuation of US thinking into so many aspects of life in the UK is commonplace and almost
habitually unremarkable. However, with US foreign, defence and security policy becoming less tied to
the international structures, conventions and beliefs that have endured since the Second World War,
and with major elements of UK industry, including its DIB, being acquired by US buyers, it is
appropriate now to re-examine the state of UK defence industry today.

“What has seemed a little bit less clear to me and certainly I think to many of the citizens of
Europe, is what it is that you’re defending yourselves for? What is the positive vision that
animates this shared security compact that we all believe is so important?”
(US Vice President JD Vance; Munich Security Conference, 15 February 2025)

“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take
this challenge”
(European Commission High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy and Vice
th
President, European Commission and Former Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, 28
February, 2025)

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