The Conservative party is set to announce plans for a £10bn British air and missile defence system, to be called "Britannia Shield", at their conference on Tuesday. The system is described as being similar to Israel's Iron Dome.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge is expected to state that Britain needs to be prepared for potential aerial attacks, necessitating new investment in advanced radar and interceptor missiles. He will describe it as "one of Britain’s most significant military programmes since the cold war", asserting its necessity due to current threats.
The Conservatives intend to fund the new system through an increase in defence spending, aiming to reach 3% of GDP by 2030, an uplift committed last month. Cartlidge will outline a goal to achieve a minimum deployable capability within the first five years, with further improvements and expanded capabilities delivered over the subsequent five years.
The party will argue that the UK is lagging behind other European nations in air defence investment. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch stated that "The world will not wait for Britain to get ready," highlighting the transformation of warfare by missiles and drones.