Britain is developing its own version of the Iron Dome missile defence system to protect against potential Russian attacks, the UK’s most senior military officer has confirmed.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said the armed forces are working on an integrated air and missile defence system in response to what he described as an increasingly clear and dangerous threat from Russian ballistic and cruise missiles.
Speaking to reports, Sir Richard said the nature of warfare has changed, warning that Britain can no longer rely on the post-Cold War assumption that it faces little danger from the air.
‘The threat has evolved’
“We call it integrated air and missile defence, and we have, over 30 years, not really faced a threat from the air in that way,” he said.
“But the threat has evolved. Russia’s capability and willingness to use ballistic and cruise missiles has become more apparent.
“It’s become clear that that peace dividend needs to be reversed, and we need to invest more in our radar capability, in our airborne air defence, and ultimately in our ability to shoot down these drones and cruise missiles.”
Sir Richard said Britain could soon have a system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, similar in concept to Israel’s Iron Dome.
Global push for missile shields
The UK is not alone in pursuing enhanced missile defences. Other countries are also moving to strengthen their protective systems, including the United States.
President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a “Golden Dome” missile shield, estimated to cost around £130 billion, aimed at protecting the US homeland from missile threats.
What is the Iron Dome?
The Iron Dome is an integrated missile defence system developed by Israel to intercept rockets and mortar fire. It was first deployed after thousands of projectiles were launched at Israel by militant groups including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Air raid sirens are frequently triggered in Israel during rocket attacks. Last summer, Iran launched hundreds of missiles towards Tel Aviv, many of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
However, the system is costly. Each interception is estimated to cost more than £2 million, highlighting the financial challenge of maintaining such defences.
Britain does not currently operate a single, unified missile defence system comparable to Israel’s. At present, only the Royal Navy has a dedicated ballistic missile defence capability.
NATO priority and wider threats
Sir Richard said Britain’s plans form part of a broader NATO effort to close what he described as one of the alliance’s most serious capability gaps.
“We know right across NATO that one of the biggest gaps in NATO’s capability is integrated air and missile defence,” he said.
“That was one of the highest priorities set by the Secretary General at the Washington summit last year, and I know it will come up again at the NATO Ankara summit in 2026. We will be responding to that as a nation, alongside our allies.”
He added: “There is a lot to do.”
Russia accused of cyber onslaught
Sir Richard has also warned that the UK is facing an “onslaught of cyber-attacks from Russia”, underscoring the breadth of the threat.
Senior figures across the intelligence and defence community have echoed those concerns. Earlier this week, Blaise Metreweli, the first woman to lead MI6, described the Kremlin as “aggressive, expansionist and revisionist” in her first public speech.
She warned that the “front line is everywhere”, citing reports of sabotage, cyber incidents and covert disruption believed to involve Russian actors.
