What happened
The Conservative Party has pledged to invest £10 billion in a new anti-missile defence system for the UK, dubbed the 'Britannia Shield'. The system would provide an integrated network of radar, command and control systems, and interceptor missiles to defend against long-range missiles and drones.
The party leader, Kemi Badenoch, stated that the system would be funded from within their commitment to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, with the cost split over 10 years. The plan is in response to warnings from Nato allies about repeated Russian drone incursions and a report from the defence committee of MPs that the UK is lagging behind its European counterparts in having a plan to defend itself.
The proposed system would have three components: new advanced radar systems, upgraded command and control systems, and new interceptor missiles as well as counter-drone capabilities. Experts have said that £10 billion would 'probably cover' what the UK 'actually needs', but the exact cost of the project would depend on the detail of the Conservatives' proposal.
