British Defence Sources Warn of High Vulnerability to Ballistic Missile Strikes: How Capable Are Existing Defences?

<p >An independent panel leading a government commissioned strategic defence review in the United Kingdom has been “deeply concerned” by the country’s vulnerability to ballistic missile attacks, according to defence sources cited by the Times. The sources noted that the state of the country’s missile defences were found to be sorely lacking, to the extent that they had caused other NATO member to express “frustration” at the weaknesses this presented for the alliance collectively. The paper highlighted “the growing risk to Britain and its military assets overseas, as China, Russia and Iran rapidly develop ballistic missiles that can cross continents at many times the speed of sound,” with senior military sources informing the paper that this would only worsen over the next 15 years. They further highlighted the vulnerability of Royal Navy warships, including those taking part in U.S.-led<a href=" target="_blank"> operations against </a>the Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition, to ballistic missile strikes. </p><p >The United Kingdom has continued to face a worsening economic crisis, with the new Labour government expected to make continued cuts to the British Armed Forces. This and the country’s substantial investments in contributing to security collective Western Bloc interests in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East has raised questions regarding whether investment in costly ballistic missile defence capabilities is at all viable. Although Britain’s small fleet of six Type 45 Class destroyers are expected to retain a limited anti ballistic missile capability, these are <a href=" target="_blank">not viable</a> against longer ranged or more sophisticated attacks, while the ships’ <a href=" target="_blank">reliability</a> and availability rates have remained abysmally low, the latter often at <a href=" target="_blank">just 17-34 percent</a>.</p><p ><img src=" title="British Royal Navy Type 45 Class Destroyer"></p><p >Britain’s vulnerability to ballistic missile strikes was highlighted in November by Russia’s <a href=" the Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate range ballistic missile against Ukrainian targets, which marked the first ever combat deployment of a weapon of its kind. Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin shortly afterwards <a href=" the demonstration of this capability had forced the British government to take a more cautious approach towards launching deep strikes against Russian targets. "Not that they [London's representatives] were scared, but overall they realised that a completely new factor had appeared on the scene – that's the first thing. The second is that we have retaliated for the use of Storm Shadow [long range cruise missiles] deep inside Russian territory. That's obvious as well. There is a sense that they are being a little more cautious, a little more balanced in their approach to this issue. And, in fact, they are now closely following what is happening," he stated. “In the expert community there was undoubtedly a serious study of the abilities, capabilities of the Oreshnik missile, its deployment on the territory of Belarus, from which, let’s say, any point in Europe is reachable," the ambassador added. Deployment of new medium range ballistic missiles by Russia, in particular the <a href=" target="_blank">reported procurement </a>of North Korean Pukkuksong-2 missiles with 2500km ranges, also places London within reach.</p><p ><img src=" title="Engagement Range of Pukkuksong-2 System From Western Russia"></p><p >The United Kingdom has <a href=" >played a leading role</a> in <a href=" >lobbying</a> the United States to allow for escalation of<a href=" > joint strikes</a> from Ukrainian territory into Russia, including using British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Although these limited strikes fall well below the threshold for Russia to respond using its intercontinental range nuclear deterrent, the Oreshnik provides a means of launching proportional strikes against targets in Britain and other European states that are involved launching attacks from Ukraine. The United Kingdom has taken a leading role among NATO members in combating Russian forces in the Ukrainian theatre, with British Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Royal Marines Lieutenant General Robert Magowan having in December 2022 <a href=" >confirmed</a> that hundreds of Marines had been carrying out high risk operations in the theatre from April that year. He stressed that these were carried out “in a hugely sensitive environment and with a high level of political and military risk.”  This was subsequently further <a href=" >confirmed</a> by leaked Pentagon documents. </p><p >In December 2023 Polish journalist Zbigniew Parafianowicz <a href=" >revealed</a> that Polish officials had provided him with details on the operations of British forces, with one informing him: “It was a time when the Russians were still standing in Bucha, and the route was a grey zone. It was possible to run into Russians. We passed the last checkpoint. The Ukrainians told us that we continue at our own risk… Well, and who did we meet next? Ukrainian soldiers and … British special forces. Uniformed. With weapons.” British forces were also driving around the countryside with artillery tracking radars to study the course of the conflict and Russian forces’ operations. </p>