Uncle Sam

@AnthonyAinsdale Let’s be blunt, why should a naval-based AD platform be used to defend mainland UK? There should be land-based AD capabilities ALREADY in existence to protect the UK from these threats.

We need to get our Type 45 destroyers fixed ASAP so we can defend blighty from air attack. This is serious now.

@scottyeders Still needs a boom…

The RAF Voyager has been the backbone of UK AAR & strategic transport since entering service in 2012 - First arrival at Brize Norton 2011 - Ops start 2012 (10 Sqn) - Full tanker capability 13, retiring VC10s - Supports Op Shader, UK & Falklands QRA, NATO tasking global exercises

@_HenryBolton That’s doesn’t come as a surprise to me. I’d imagine allied countries feel exactly the same as well.

I’m told that UK and European defence industry executives are increasingly frustrated by the dithering in the MoD and its inability to make quite straightforward and simple decisions.

Steve Reed is lying his way through another media round. “We have systems and defences in place that keep the United Kingdom safe” HMS Duncan is the only asset we currently have capable of intercepting a ballistic missile. It’s already committed to deploying with the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group on Operation Firecrest. We currently don’t have enough seaworthy Type 45s to fulfil our existing commitments, which includes the flagship role for the Standing NATO Maritime Group One, let alone defence of the UK mainland against hypothetical ballistic missile attack. “We will take necessary defensive action to protect British interests, British people or our allies across the region” No, we haven’t. We deployed HMS Dragon which has only just arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean. We haven’t intercepted a single missile and have intercepted a handful of the thousands of drone fired. Bahrain is one of our closest allies in the region. It has been repeatedly struck by missiles and drones for three weeks. There is no account of us having played any role in intercepting any of them, despite the C-SIPA agreement between us and the presence of the UK Naval Support Facility. “The UK has been taking down drones and missiles that have been fired around” We haven’t intercepted any missiles. The only capability that could is HMS Dragon, and that has been in transit. “Our assessment is that there was a missile launched at Diego Garcia, two I think….one failed and the other was intercepted, so that shows that our defensive capabilities are correct” An Iranian IRBM failing doesn’t show our defensive capabilities are correct; we got lucky. The other was intercepted, by a US-Navy SM-3 ballistic missile interceptor. Reed implies that this was by UK forces. Once again we were reliant upon the US. We appear entirely unwilling to hold Iran to account for attacking us. The Government is fudging its way through this conflict one indecisive step at a time, but gaslighting us into believing they’re in control of the situation is laughable.

@PhilipIngMBE The real danger as far as the UK is concerned is if Iran attempt to target RAF Fairford or possibly Brize Norton.

#BBCLauraK / Steve Reed is outright misleading the public re his statements about the UKs ability to defend against Ballistic missiles - we have no defence around the UK !!

@PhilipIngMBE I was screaming at the TV when he was saying it. The UK doesn’t have any anti-ICBM capabilities.

Steven Reed - We can defend ourselves against an Iranian attack. Copium. The UK doesn’t have any AD for BMs or ICBMs. A Type 45 could possibly intercept them, but it isn’t designed for that purpose.

@Mallard143 @TBrit90 And what will they use in the meantime?

@UncleSamOSINT @TBrit90 They have to retire stuff to free up funds for replacements

Retiring before a replacement has been chosen as usual.

Delay?! The ships they currently have are in sufficient, they are being retired and the RN are in a desperate need for new vessels. Delaying new ship is TOTALY the WRONG thing to do!! It should be expedited, not delayed!!

@CommonsDefence @DefenceHQ DIP… *cough*

Tomorrow at 10.30am we're questioning the new Permanent Secretary at @DefenceHQ, Jeremy Pocklington, to examine the MOD's finance and administration and their Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25, against a backdrop of global conflict. Read more: committees.parliament.uk/event/26841/fo…

When NATO helped the US (in Afghanistan) President Trump ended up denigrating their contribution. Now (on Iran) he expects their help .

Straight out of the Russian play book…

That is some decline in 40-odd years. The current strength and depth of the UK’s defence sector is a disgrace.

Russian sabotage targeting RAF Lossiemouth could disable NATO maritime patrol aircraft and give submarines greater freedom of manoeuvre in the North Atlantic, MPs have been told. Click image for more. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/lossiemouth-in…

Not many options available, severe lack of available naval assets!!

@TBrit90 I have said the same thing about Brize Norton for years. All the Voyager, C-17s and Atlas fleet at one air base. It’s just bonkers to me. One barrage could take out the runway = no AAR aircraft to respond to an attack. Then you think about a direct attack on the planes!

Another good example. Looking at how concentrated RAF assets are in general. More relevant, RAF Akrotiri with no ballistic missile defence has a good portion of the RAF C-17, Atlas and Voyager fleet on a normal day, not to mention other assets like Typhoon, F-35, Shadow and Protector etc.

Is it time to revisit the RAF’s vulnerability by force concentration after the events in the Middle East recently?

What is the old adage about giving someone enough rope??