UK opposition pledges GBP10 billion for ‘Britannia Shield' air defence network

Sky Sabre conducting its first UK set of live firings at MOD Hebrides on 23 May during exercise “Formidable Shield 2025”. (MBDA)

The UK's opposition Conservative Party has pledged to establish what it termed a modern, integrated air-and-missile defence system if it wins the next general election.

Addressing the party's annual conference on 6 October 2026, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence James Cartlidge unveiled plans for what the party has termed ‘Britannia Shield'.

Cartlidge said the party would allocate up to GBP10 billion (USD13.3 billion) over 10 years to the programme. It would comprise three elements: ‘Sense', providing advanced radars to detect missiles, manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); ‘Decide', upgrading command-and-control (C2) systems to integrate information and select responses; and ‘Effect', providing interceptors, counter-UAV (C-UAV) capabilities, and larger missile stockpiles.

The party intends to field a minimum deployable capability during its first term in office, before expanding and strengthening the system. Speaking during a conference session, Cartlidge said the programme would build on existing equipment and emphasise rapid delivery. “The lesson of Ukraine is: don't spend years and years doing your concept and your business case and then waiting years for your competition and all these things on a multibillion, perfect, exquisite system. Go with as much as possible from what you've got, as fast as possible,” he said.

Cartlidge said the proposed radar and missile elements would be mobile, improving survivability compared with the UK's fixed air-surveillance sites. He added that elements could be assigned to the UK Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus and to the Falkland Islands.