UK a ‘sitting duck’ to missile attack as grim WW3 prep revealed | UK | News
The UK has been labeled “vulnerable” and a “sitting duck” for not having adequate missile defence. The comments were made by Conservative MP Mark Pritchard as he challenged Defense Secretary John Healey over his progress in rearming the UK and putting its armed forces on a “fighting basis”.
During a debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday, he said: “The Defense Secretary says this country needs to go to war, but the UK does not currently have a comprehensive anti-hyponsonic, anti-ballistic missile defense system. Given the threats from Russia and elsewhere and their capabilities, this means that all our voters are vulnerable, whether they vote Labor or Conservative, and this country is clearly a sitting duck.”
The UK is currently adopting a “multi-layered approach to air and missile defense” of the UK homeland, including cooperation with its allies.
The armed forces operate air defense assets across all three services, which can be deployed for local defense of the UK mainland if needed.
This capability is supported by an extensive early warning radar network based in the UK, which also forms part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (NATO IAMD) system, of which the UK is a part, and the US ballistic missile defense system.
However, there are no systems similar to the “Iron Dome” seen over Israel; experts believe that any attack by a capable adversary could overwhelm the UK’s existing defenses and make it difficult to neutralize or destroy enemy missiles over the UK.
Acknowledging shortcomings in the UK’s air defenses, Healey pointed to the recent Strategic Defense Review (SDR), which set out recommendations to adequately protect the UK mainland.
He replied: “The Honorable Gentleman will agree that the strategic defense review indicates that we need to do more to take our homeland defense seriously, and we are doing so.
“He pointed out that we need to do more for the UK on our integrated air and missile defence. We are doing it and we will do it.”
Defense sources and NATO allies have expressed concern that years of underinvestment in Britain’s defense is leaving the country at risk, particularly as the range of intercontinental missiles owned by the country’s enemies continues to increase.
Earlier this year, the Sunday Times reported that NATO leaders would urge Sir Keir Starmer to fix deficiencies in Britain’s defences, warning that major British cities and infrastructure could be at risk from long-range missile threats from countries such as Russia, China or Iran.
