Britain has been branded a “laughing stock” after it was revealed that Britain only has one operational destroyer capable of intercepting Iranian missiles.
The “shameful” situation of UKBritain’s air defense capabilities have been highlighted by experts amid reports Britain could be within striking distance of Tehran.
Britain has a surprisingly low number of defensive weapons, analysts warn armory To stop ballistic missiles of Iran or Russia.
Britain currently has six warships capable of intercepting missiles from a wide variety of threats – ranging from the mad mullahs of Tehran to the bloodthirsty Russian dictator Vladimir Putin – but four are out of service.
After days of indecision, Keir Starmer finally gives the go-ahead for deployment, with HMS Dragon making a laborious journey to the Mediterranean.
Earlier this month, Iran managed to launch a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus – sparking concerns over Britain’s air defence.
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This left only HMS Duncan based at Portsmouth to defend Britain.
Retired British general Sir Richard Barrons said Britain’s missile defenses “are, by any measure, well below the minimum required”.
While former British intelligence officer Philip Ingram described Britain’s current air defense capabilities as “shocking”.
The former NATO planner told The Sun: “The UK has been irresponsible in its approach to air defense capabilities, and we currently have almost nothing that can stop modern threats.
“Whether those modern threats are ballistic missiles that we are talking about or the large quantities of drones that we are seeing being fired.
“We’ve got some anti-drone missile capability, however, a good portion of it is now deployed in Cyprus.”
Ingram said: “Air security around the UK is a laughing stock, and we should be ashamed of the vulnerabilities we are leaving our country in.”
It comes after Israel warned that London could be under attack from the Iranian regime.
The Islamic Republic fired two ballistic missiles – reportedly deadly Khorramshahr weapons – towards Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands on Friday.
The attempted attack on the UK-US base has raised fears that Tehran is capable of attacking targets 4,000 km away.
The earlier mutual belief that Iran could hit targets only at a maximum range of 2,000 km has now been thrown into doubt.
The IDF said: “The Iranian terrorist regime poses a global threat. Now, missiles that can reach London, Paris or Berlin.”
London is more than 5,000 km from Tehran, but strategists fear the regime could use Simorgh space launch technology to extend its missile range.
United Against Nuclear’s policy director hits out at Britain’s weak deterrence capabilities iran Jason Brodsky said: “The European powers can no longer yield to any position.”
Meanwhile, Barron’s also warned: “If the UK is in range of an Iranian ballistic missile, the only thing the UK has that can shoot down a ballistic missile is a Type 45 destroyer.
“We have six, but the Navy typically operates two.”
Continuing his devastating assessment, Barons said Britain’s ballistic missile defense was “currently one ship at best with a range of about 150 kilometres”.
He added: “So it’s a really good sign that in the world we live in, in the missile age, the UK’s capability is well below the minimum requirement on any scale.”
Ingram also pointed out how Britain’s only operational Type 45 destroyer was not even within reach of London’s defences.
HMS Duncan, one of two destroyers in service, currently deployed portsmouthMore than 100 km away from the capital.
“London has currently got zero ballistic missile coverage,” Ingram said.
“London is naked right now.”
Commenting on Housing Secretary Steve Reid’s suggestion that Iran could not attack Britain, Ingram said: “He was lying to us.”
The former NATO planner said: “What they said to Laura Kuenssberg this morning was factually incorrect, and I was shocked to see how blatantly he was lying.”
He continued: “It kind of highlights the situation we’re in, kind of highlights the shocking state of our security.”
Reid had earlier claimed on Sunday morning: “There is no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting Britain or could do so if they wanted to.”
The serious possibility that Tehran could launch an attack on Britain has increased sharply in recent days as they have threatened to bomb British holiday destinations.
Keir Starmer’s U-turn to allow Donald Trump to use British base Diego Garcia is understood to have put the island in Tehran’s crosshairs.
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It comes as the war in the Middle East inches closer to its one-month anniversary.
Over the weekend, terrifying footage showed the moment Iranian missiles rained down on cities near Israel’s secret arsenal of nuclear weapons.
More than 180 people were injured in Dimona and Arad in southern Israel – including two children in critical condition.
Plans have reportedly been drawn up for Trump’s marines to attack Iran’s vital island fortress to unlock the Strait of Hormuz, insiders told The Sun.
Despite having nothing on the map, these small Tehran-controlled areas have grown in importance – straddling vital oil trade.
