Britain and Germany have agreed to a significant military pact that will see the two allies work together on weapons projects and defense amid the growing threat Russia poses to the European continent.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and Germany will sign a defence agreement on Wednesday, the first of its kind between Europe's two biggest spenders on defence, which includes a commitment to develop new deep-strike weapons.

The two governments said they will coordinate more on defense, with British and German troops conducting joint military exercises on NATO’s eastern border.

Britain and Germany will sign, what the UK government is calling a “landmark defence agreement” aimed at boosting security, investment and jobs. Under the agreement the German defence company, Rheinmetall will open a new factory in the UK to manufacture barrels for artillery guns – supporting 400 jobs.

Officials say German submarine-hunting planes will patrol the North Atlantic from a base in Scotland under a new Britain-Germany defense pact in response to the growing threat from Russia.

The agreement amounts to a comprehensive reboot of defense ties between London and Berlin that had lacked structure since Britain left the European Union.