MoD highlights Gib’s ‘key’ role in evidence to Commons committee

Gibraltar would likely be “key” in defending western interests in the eastern Mediterranean should the need arise, the UK Ministry of Defence has said, as it highlighted the Rock’s strategic military importance in written evidence to a House of Commons committee.

The reference to Gibraltar was set out in MoD evidence to an inquiry by the Defence Committee into the UK’s contribution to European security.

The evidence is set out in a 14-page document dated January 31 and published by the Defence Committee on Tuesday.

It analyses the UK’s military role and its security and defence partnerships both within NATO and with countries that are not part of the alliance.

It explores the UK’s role in European and NATO deterrence, its capabilities and gaps, its current military commitments to its partners and how it can learn from them and contribute to a collective defence effort, and how its strategies should develop in future.

“The importance of the UK’s overseas bases in Europe to European security should also not be overlooked,” the document states, in a section titled ‘What is the contribution to European security of the UK's bilateral and multilateral relationships in Europe which exist outside of NATO?’

“British Forces Gibraltar can control ingress and egress to the Mediterranean, is a staging post for both east-west and north-south transits of the Atlantic, and - in the event of a challenge to tactical superiority in the eastern Mediterranean - is likely to be key in defending the west and reasserting NATO authority in the east.”

“In the Eastern Mediterranean, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the island of Cyprus offer HMG and our Allies a sovereign presence in a geo-strategically important region.”

“Critical to recent operations, the Sovereign Base Areas remain a strategically and operationally important hub from which the UK is able to project military capability into three different continents.”

The analysis by the MoD, including Gibraltar’s role, was published two days after a Royal Navy Astute-class nuclear powered submarine docked in Gibraltar.

Yesterday, the submarine could be seen alongside the South Mole loading munitions.

It comes too as the UK commences finalising in a Strategic Defence Review launched in July last year by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Against the backdrop of conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, the “root and branch review” will establish the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the 21st century.

“It will also ensure a ‘NATO-first’ policy is at the heart of Britain’s defence plans, identifying ways to enhance the UK’s contribution to NATO, further increasing the UK’s contribution to European security,” the MoD document states.

Earlier this week, Sir Keir told European Union counterparts there should be increased military co-operation and greater industrial collaboration to strengthen defence on the continent.

Sir Keir addressed EU leaders over dinner in Brussels, where he became the first UK prime minister to attend a European Council meeting since Brexit.