Defence Growth Deal for Wales ‘could lead to more war crimes’

Martin Shipton

Concerns have been raised about a UK Government announcement that Wales will benefit from a “Defence Growth Deal” that critics believe could see an expansion of the nation’s involvement in the weapons industry and war crimes.

According to UK ministers, Wales’ economy will be boosted by a pioneering defence programme – backed as part of a £250m UK-wide investment – to improve collaboration, foster innovation and create jobs.

Defence Growth Deals are being created as part of an initiative to support the growth potential of the defence industry, underpinned by the decision to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and the ambition to hit 3% in the next Parliament.

‘Engine for growth’

Defence Secretary, John Healey said: “The Defence Industrial Strategy will make defence an engine for growth in Wales, backing jobs, industry and innovators.

“Defence Growth Deals offer a new partnership with UK defence to build on industrial and innovation strengths that regions already hold. Together we aim to drive an increase in defence skills and jobs across Wales.

“We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a defence firm and will put Britain at the leading edge of innovation.”

Latest statistics show that almost 4,000 people in Wales are already employed due to MOD industry spending, and this work will ensure every ounce of the sector’s potential is realised, driving economic growth and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “This investment in defence will bring a real boost for Wales’ economy and support highly skilled jobs for years to come – this is the defence dividend.

“Wales has an innovative and thriving defence sector with a presence in every part of the country. With the UK Government working alongside the Welsh Government and industry, this strategy will help ensure the sector goes from strength to strength.”

‘AI in warfare’

But Dr Samuel Perlo-Freeman, research coordinator at the long established Campaign Against the Arms Trade, said: “This is a concern. With these Defence Growth Deals in Wales and around the UK, they are wanting to strengthen the arms industry, both in terms of supporting existing production and developing new weapons technologies. Their Defence Industrial Strategy, published today, places a big emphasis on ‘innovation’, including the use of AI in warfare.

“The DIS also strongly emphasises promoting arms exports, with a new Office of Defence Exports within the MOD, under the direct oversight of the National Armaments Director, that is the head of MOD procurement. They will also develop a new government-to-government exports programme, so that the UK government will directly negotiate arms deals with overseas customers on behalf of the arms companies. Israel is of course just one of potentially many customers, including other authoritarian regimes and countries in conflict such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey. Most UK arms exports go to the Middle East, Europe, and the US.

“How much of a role Wales will have in all this I don’t know, but with the extra funding they clearly want to promote arms production and exports in Wales as in the rest of the UK.

West Wales Airport

Concerns have already been expressed about activities at West Wales Airport in Aberporth, Ceredigion, where it is alleged that the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems benefitted from the testing and development of drone systems that have been used to attack the people of Gaza.

The airport is now owned by Portuguese company Tekever, whose chief executive Ricardo Mendes said earlier this year that increased investment was needed in “autonomous systems” and the UK was at the forefront of those efforts.

These types of technologies would sustain “warfare and peacekeeping in the future” over the next five to 10 years, he said.

Mr Mendes added the Aberporth base was a “fundamental part” of their infrastructure, “not only for our UK activities, but for global activities”.

Earlier this month the Campaign Against the Arms Trade produced a report that accused the UK Government of being disingenuous when it claimed that arms that could be used in Gaza are no longer exported to Israel.

‘Complicit’

The report states: “The UK is deeply complicit in supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza: through arms sales, RAF reconnaissance flights over Gaza, from which it is suspected intelligence is shared with Israel, training of Israeli soldiers, and other forms of military cooperation.

“Despite the government’s decision on September 2 2024 to suspend arms export licences to Israel, which the government assessed were for use by the Israeli military in Gaza, they are still allowing the supply of crucial components for Israel’s 45 F-35 combat aircraft, so long as they are supplied indirectly via the US or other countries, rather than directly to Israel. These are used to bomb Gaza, at an extraordinary level of intensity, requiring a constant supply of spare parts. By its own admission at the time of the decision, the government accepts that these UK-supplied components may well be used by Israel to violate International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Gaza.

“Meanwhile, the government has also allowed a large number of arms export licences to Israel to remain in force, and has also issued new licences. It claims these are not for use by the Israeli military in Gaza, but almost all of them nonetheless help support the Israeli war machine. Indeed, the value of arms export licences to Israel surged in the last three months of 2024, after the government’s partial suspension. Other forms of military cooperation have continued uninterrupted.”