UK at Risk of Hypersonic Missile Strike as NATO Issues Urgent Warning

The UK has been told it’s not ready to defend itself against a large-scale intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attack, according to a worrying report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The think tank’s findings suggest that Europe, including the UK, still doesn’t have the necessary defense systems in place to effectively protect against such a threat. For the UK, the problem is particularly urgent, with NATO allies pushing Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this year to boost funding for air and missile defense.

Concerns about the UK’s defenses were highlighted when former Shadow Defiance Secretary Lord Coaker raised alarms about the country’s vulnerability to long-range drones and hypersonic missiles in a recent House of Lords debate, reported the Express.

He explained, “The noble Lord raises very important points, but some of them will have to wait for the outcome of the defense review.” However, he did reassure that steps were being taken to address the issue, adding, “We are increasing the number of Sky Sabre units to nine, which is a significant increase, so we are not waiting for the outcome of the defense review.”

Sky Sabre, which entered service in 2021, is a crucial air defence system used by the British Army to intercept threats like aircraft, missiles, and drones. The system uses radar to guide up to 24 missiles at once, allowing it to target objects moving at the speed of sound, even something as small as a tennis ball. It has already been deployed to NATO’s eastern flank, but experts argue this is just a small part of the solution.

Earlier this year, the Sunday Times reported that NATO allies were increasingly concerned about the UK’s role in Europe’s defence strategy. A draft of NATO’s Capability Target 2025, which outlines the bloc’s military goals, stresses the need for the UK to invest more in surface-based air defence systems (SBAD) to protect critical infrastructure like nuclear power plants and military bases.

This issue has been complicated by shifts in the US administration, which have affected how Europe responds to the Ukraine crisis. The US recently confirmed it would stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine that could be used to target Russian forces within Russian borders. For the UK, many of its key air defence systems rely on US cooperation for things like software and spare parts.

Despite these concerns, one senior defense source reassured the public that the US would continue to support the UK’s defense capabilities, saying, “The US is our strongest ally. The idea that they might stop us using weapons or systems is laughable. It just isn’t going to happen.” But with growing concerns about our defenses, the question remains: is the UK doing enough to protect itself?

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