UK facing ‘360-degree threat’ of hostile missiles and drones

The House of Lords recently debated the United Kingdom’s air defence capabilities, focusing on the need to modernise and address emerging threats.

Baroness Goldie led the discussion, emphasising the urgency of enhancing air defence systems, particularly given lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, Lord Coaker, outlined current efforts to bolster air defence, highlighting advancements in technology and international collaboration.

“The UK continuously reviews our integrated air and missile defence requirements to ensure that we are adequately defended against the evolving threats that we face,” he explained. He pointed to investments in new technologies such as the DragonFire directed energy weapon, which aims to counter drones, and upgrades to the Type 45 destroyer’s Sea Viper missile system, designed to defend against ballistic missiles.

These measures, he said, would be further developed in alignment with the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review (SDR). Baroness Goldie, however, raised concerns about the Government’s pace of action.

“Recent very public concerns about our air defence capabilities have been amplified by our European and NATO partners,” she stated, referencing the significant impact of air defence systems in Ukraine, where “12,000 missiles have been fired…showing the importance of air defence now.” Baroness Goldie called for immediate reassurance rather than awaiting the SDR’s publication. She urged the Minister to provide a comprehensive update on the current status and modernisation plans, suggesting that the information be shared with the House for wider scrutiny.

Lord Coaker acknowledged the validity of these concerns and agreed to write to the Baroness, promising to include “a stocktake of where we are” and to “put a copy in the Library, so that the information is available to all Members of this House.” He also highlighted ongoing efforts, including the development of ORCUS anti-drone technology to protect airfields and the DIAMOND initiative, a collaborative European project for a ground-based air missile defence system.

The debate also touched on past criticisms of the UK’s air defence readiness. Lord Browne of Ladyton referenced a 2024 report from the International Relations and Defence Committee, which described the UK’s air and missile defence capabilities as “limited, to the point of being negligible” due to persistent underinvestment. He criticised the lack of ministerial engagement with the inquiry, noting that former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps had refused clearance for ministers and officials to testify.

Despite this, Lord Browne urged members to read the Government’s response to the report, praising its detailed examination of the challenges facing air defence.

Lord Coaker admitted that the report served as a “wake-up call” for both the UK and Europe. He highlighted the changing nature of threats since the Cold War: “We are now in a totally different situation where we face a 360-degree threat. The launch of missiles could come from a variety of launch systems, and we need to protect ourselves against not only missiles but drones.”

The Minister underscored the importance of public understanding regarding homeland defence, stating, “Air defence will become one of the critical systems that we will need to make available to ourselves and our country. Our population needs to understand that homeland defence is now of crucial importance to us all.”