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UK Conservatives propose £10bn ‘Britannia Shield’ inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome

Guardian Jessica Elgot and Dan Sabbagh, Tue 6 Oct 2026

Party to unveil plans for one of UK’s ‘most significant military programmes since the cold war’

The Conservatives will announce plans to build a £10bn British “Iron Dome” similar to Israel’s air and missile defence system, which the party will christen “Britannia Shield” in an announcement at conference on Tuesday.

The shadow defence secretary, James Cartlidge, will say Britain needs to be ready to defend itself from potential aerial attacks and that new investment was needed in advanced radar and interceptor missiles.

Claiming it was “one of Britain’s most significant military programmes since the cold war”, he will say it is one that was “totally necessary because of the threats we face”.

Britain’s military has traditionally believed it does not need to purchase Iron Dome-style air defence systems given other spending priorities and the fact that the UK has not faced drone and missile strikes as has Israel or Ukraine.

Military officials argue that the UK’s strategy is based around deterring any attack or a full-blown war with nuclear weapons and that any conflict that involved a direct threat to the British homeland would almost certainly involve Nato allies assisting.

The UK does not own any Patriot air defence systems, and in an acute crisis would have to rely on Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers to protect coastal areas, but the circumstances in which expensive air defence would be needed in the UK are very remote.

The Conservatives will say the new system would be funded out of the defence uplift from their commitment last month to increase defence spending by more than £10bn a year to reach 3% of GDP by 2030.

Cartlidge will say in his speech that the aim would be to deliver a minimum deployable capability within the first five years, with further improvements, expanded capability and missile stockpiles delivered over the following five years.

The party will argue that the UK is being left behind in Europe when it comes to investment in air defences, which was criticised in a report from the defence select committee last November. The government has currently committed about £790m for integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) in the Defence Investment Plan………………………………… https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/05/conservatives-britannia-shield-israel-iron-dome

October 27, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK