LONDON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Britain has agreed on a new military training program with France, the Ministry of Defense (MOD) said Thursday in London.
Over the next few months, over 2,500 British troops will train with their French counterparts, participating in exercises spanning Eastern Europe to Kenya, said the MOD.
The MOD said Defense Secretary Michael Fallon agreed on the new program of Britain-French training during his first bilateral meeting in Paris Thursday with Florence Parly, the newly appointed French Minister for the Armed Forces.
In September, over 1,500 British soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade will be joined by troops from 11th Brigade Parachitiste on NATO exercise Swift Response in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Meanwhile, French troops also plan to join 1,000 British personnel from 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment on Exercise Askari Storm in Kenya in November, training on the prevention of instability and the spread of violent extremism.
Ahead of the meeting, Fallon said: "The UK and France have a long enduring relationship and that will continue as the UK leaves the European Union.We are deployed together in NATO, fighting against Daesh in Iraq and Syria and training together across the globe."
The MOD said the announcement is the latest in a string of partnerships that highlight the enduring strength of the British-French defense relationship.
Earlier this year Britain and France signed a 120 million U.S. dollar-agreement to develop future long range weapons and are working together on an unmanned combat air system.
The two nations also run a personnel exchange program, improving how the two sides work together. There are currently over 40 personnel working in reciprocal roles across the three military services.
