UK Conservatives propose £10bn Britannia Shield air defence plan

The UK's Conservative Party has proposed a £10 billion air defence programme aimed at strengthening the country's integrated air and missile defence infrastructure. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch announced the plan, called Britannia Shield, in an article in the Sun newspaper on 6 October 2026.

The proposal is intended to address long-range missile and drone threats, which Badenoch linked to Russia. She said the country faces a "new type of warfare" and argued that drone threats require a different kind of missile defence.

Badenoch described a scenario in which adversaries could approach the English Channel and launch drones and missiles at critical national infrastructure before the RAF could scramble aircraft in response. She said a dedicated system positioned to protect national infrastructure from such attacks may be needed.

The UK is unusual among major European powers in not fielding a long-range air defence system of the kind represented by Patriot or SAMP/T. It currently relies on a quick reaction force of RAF Typhoons supported by a small number of short-range air defence systems located around the country.

The plan is described as consisting of three parts common to most integrated air and missile defence systems, beginning with new radars to detect drones and missiles. Further detail on the programme has not been set out. As an opposition proposal, it would depend on the government adopting it in order to move forward.