Britain’s top military wargamers replicated Russia’s attacks on Ukraine on the first night of the 2022 invasion and the outcome was “not a pretty picture”.
“For the UK, we have stood for years at the western edge of Europe feeling as though the rest of the continent stood between us and the enemy,” he said during a speech at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank in London on Thursday.
“We need to reverse that thinking and assume that from here on, we’re under threat in the home base now as well.”
“We [loaded] night one of Ukraine into that synthetic environment and played it out against the UK and as you can imagine it was not a pretty picture,” he said, though he would not reveal details of the damage.
The simulation “reinforced the fact that we really need to get after this”, Crawford said.
It revealed a shortage of airfields to launch fighter jets, which have been incrementally closed since the early 1990s, and of hardened aircraft shelters to withstand bomb blasts.
What are Britain’s air defence capabilties?
“The UK has a range of capabilities which could be used for air defence, including fighter jets and missile launchers on Navy ships,” according to the MoD.
The Sea Viper system on Type 45 destroyers can track, target and destroy a variety of air threats over 70 miles away, and has successfully shot down a Houthi rebel ballistic missile and attack drones.
RAF Typhoons have recently disrupted Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel, while the UK’s Sky Sabre uses radar to scan up to 120km for threats from aircraft, drones, and missiles.
STARStreak is a short-range air defence missile which is designed to counter threats from high-performance, low-flying aircraft and fast “pop up” strikes by helicopters.
The upcoming strategic defence review is expected to examine UK air defence capability.
The UK has led the Diamond initiative, a programme designed to improve Nato’s integrated air and missile defence by ensuring that the different air defence systems across the alliance operate better and more jointly across Europe.
The Trinity House Agreement signed with Germany in October included a commitment to identify opportunities for closer collaboration on air defence.
They also said that lessons had been learnt from the simulation, and that the UK’s forces would have a better understanding and performance today.
Former defence ministers have called for the UK to develop its own version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system to protect it from Russian attacks.
square ARMED FORCES War drills and themed evenings: Inside the UK's major military operation
Read More
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The UK stands fully prepared to defend itself against any threat alongside our Nato allies.
“This includes the world-class Sea Viper missile system which has successfully shot down a Houthi rebel ballistic missile and attack drones in the Red Sea.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The military modelled a Russian missile strike on the UK. It ‘wasn’t pretty’ )
Also on site :