Defence Secretary John Healey insisted the alliance with the US was "as strong as ever" as he travelled to Washington to meet his opposite number in the Trump administration. The visit comes as the UK receives the 50th state-of-the art Apache-E attack helicopter, manufactured for the British Army at the Boeing site in Mesa, Arizona.

It’s the most advanced attack helicopter in the world, with night vision and a chain gun capable of firing 625 rounds per minute. Mr Healey is to meet US defence secretary Pete Hegseth while in Washington today and Thursday. The pair will discuss securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and strengthening bonds between NATO allies, as well as efforts to combat Daesh, also known as Islamic state.

Their meeting comes as the relationship between the US and UK is under intense strain, despite the Government’s efforts to insist all is well, after vice-president JD Vance’s comments appearing to mock UK armed forces, which he insisted had been misrepresented, and alarm over Mr Vance and Mr Trump’s treatment of Ukraine’s President Zelensky, who is regarded by the UK as an ally.

Mr Healey said: “Amid a period of growing global instability, the unique and special relationship between the UK and US is as strong as ever – underlined by a shared commitment to freedom and democracy.

“It is crucial that the UK and Europe step up further to take more responsibility for our security, and we are doing so. In the face of increasing global threats, we are cementing our ties as NATO allies, bolstering our national security and economic security, too.

“The Prime Minister was clear following his meetings over the past week, that we will continue our dialogue with friends and allies to secure a path to a lasting peace in Ukraine. We will advance that work in Washington over the coming days.”

The AH-64 Apache helicopter was handed over yesterday at the Boeing site in Arizona.

The visit also comes at the conclusion of the 50th occurrence of Exercise Red Flag in Nevada, a joint exercise with the UK, United States and Australia.

This is designed to test equally matched air forces in a realistic combat scenario and involves more than 3,000 military personnel in high-intensity training, such as dogfighting, air-policing and practicing bombing runs, at Nellis Air Force Base.