Why key NATO member won’t need Iron Dome to stop Putin’s missiles | Maj. Gen. Rupert Jones

back in the Cold War we did this very differently we had a much much more developed approach to UK resilience protection of the Homeland there are growing threats of course from Russia and elsewhere uh and so a kind of a 21st century version of that is being looked at and needs to be considered okay um let’s talk about um newer threats so I just wonder if the UK is as pres is as prepared um for some of the equipment involved in Modern Warfare and here I’m sort of thinking of more sophisticated missiles if that was the case but but actually more likely drones as well do you think the UK’s been able to um evolve our defense systems in line with newer types of Technology yeah so there’s two there’s two kind of big things aren’t there so so there’s question have we got you know the rights of air defense uh capability around the United Kingdom uh and we absolutely have a defense but but does it need to be uh strengthened uh and broadened un undoubtedly is then the broader question about whether or not UK defense is uh appropriately uh funded and we’ve got all the capabilities we need and the answer to that is a resounding no a defense and the UK’s defense capabilities actually it’s 945 defense Chiefs are understood to be exploring options to regrow Britain’s ability to protect critical National infrastructure things like power stations military bases and government buildings from the kind of Russian cruise and ballistic missile strikes that are devastating Ukraine at the moment military sources and Cold War veterans have warned that the UK is increasingly vulnerable to the threat of missiles and drones after Decades of cost-saving cuts eroded its once worldclass air defenses well let’s find out where we stand right now from the perspective of Major General Rupert Jones former standing Joint Force Commander good evening to you good evening um How likely is it that the UK will come under attack whether it’s Russia or any other foreign state that are critical National infrastructure will come under attack do we have to do we have to entertain this as a credible possibility well well we shouldn’t be complacent um but if we are there’s been a flurry of activity following the air attacks onto Israel and people are somehow conflating those those two topics what we saw happen in Israel with UK’s defense the two situations are very very different and of course the United Kingdom should have the ability to defend it defend itself and it does and as you say defense Chiefs are looking carefully at what more we need to do to protect our our homeland from Air attack but but the idea that we’re going to suddenly be on the wrong end of uh flurries and missiles and drone attacks um is not really borne out by by the threat of course there are plenty of other threats we Face cyber threats other other threats uh and government and our defense Chiefs are of course looking at how you defend the United Kingdom in the broadest sense and as you suggest back in the Cold War we did this very differently we had a much much more developed approach to UK resilience protection of the Homeland there are growing threats of course from Russia and elsewhere uh and so a kind of a 21st century version of that is being looked at and needs to be considered okay um let’s talk about um newer threats so I just wonder if the UK is as pres is as prepared um for some of the equipment involved in Modern Warfare and here I’m sort of thinking of more sophisticated missiles if that was the case but but actually more likely drones as well do you think the UK’s been able to um evolve our defense systems in line with newer types of Technology yeah so there’s two there’s two kind of big things aren’t there so so there’s question have we got you know the rights of air defense uh capability around the United Kingdom uh and we absolutely have a defense but but does it need to be uh strengthened uh and broadened under under undoubtedly is’s then the broader question about whether or not UK defense is uh appropriately uh funded and we’ve got all the capabilities we need and the answer to that is a resounding no um Decades of underinvestment uh and cutting of our own forces has had a very very debilitating debilitating effect um and the government last week the week before increased defense spending with a undertaking to go to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 and that is of course good news but that is that is hardly the answer uh we are we are short of a great many capabilities and we need to reinvest in in those if we are serious about the defense of our homeland now of course we must do that in conccept with our with our our friends and and particularly as part of NATO but the United Kingdom is meant to be one of the key leaders of NATO and therefore we need to pay a significant part and you can only do that with a strong arm forces and a and a strong wider security architecture yeah so there it just depends how that how that money is directed I suppose into armed forces and sort of on the ground defense and then more sophisticated methods of Defense could the UK have an Iron Dome for example like Israel is that something that we would ever entertain we’ obviously never had to entertain it have we in modern times anyway I mean so so I mean people kind of latch on quite understandably phrases like iron does we’ve seen we’ve seen the Skies of Israel and the and the lights in the sky as as their defense systems take down incoming uh missiles you know again our situation here is very very different our geography is very different we’re protected by a sea we’re surrounded by friends not adversaries any missile getting here would have to come over any number of our friends before getting to UK airspace so the idea of of an Iron Dome is is not necessarily helpful what defense Chiefs will be looking at is what is the threat to our airspace and what is the best way of Defending that and I’m pretty confident the answer isn’t an Iron Dome in the in the way that conceived by Israel look thank you for speaking to us and just uh offering us a bit of perspective on this story at Major General Rupert Jones former standing Joint Force Commander good to speak to you thank you thank you e e e for

Britain would likely revert to it’s Cold War defence strategy if the threat of Russian missiles strikes grows due to the war in Ukraine, says Major General Rupert Jones on #timesradio adding more funding is needed to deter Russia and other adversaries.

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43 comments

  1. I watched a recording of Trump on Oprah Winfrey in 1988. He was concerned about "allies" using the US for protection. Europe has to decide how it wants to spend its treasuries. We here understand the Baltic States and Poland are working hard for freedom and I'm certain we can and will help them.

  2. Rupert Murdock is from Australia, which is basically a colony of UK, so I guess that's the propaganda angle. What a start eh? "Back in the Cold War" by another Rupert. That's the propaganda framing in order to set up an argument based on fear and not fact. Also revealing the intention of the West to reignite the Cold War as they have using Ukraine as their proxy. So now UK needs of course to increase military spending. It's an investment. Although no one is threatening the UK. No one is at war with the UK. Now there is a danger from Russia. If the US launches a nuclear attack Russia will of course respond in kind. UK will be one of the targets. The solution? Deescalation. Working toward peace in Ukraine through talks instead of prolonging the war. More military spending isn't the solution.

  5. American human rights activist Ajamu Baraka: Ukrainians finally realized that they were being prepared for destruction for the sake of the geostrategic interests of the United States, which have nothing to do with them. The result is massive capitulations on the front line and people avoiding conscription.

  8. Europe needs to prepare for possible tRump/maga re-election,, and they have putin luv. Better to pay the the money, be prepared, don’t get caught with your pants down

  10. How about you start defending from the ongoing invasion of so called asylum seekers from the islamic world? In modern times you don't even need guns or rockets to invade if one is not defending itself.

  11. I imagine a scenario where the world wakes up to a new day where the West's military capability begins to make leaps ahead of the rest of the world.

  12. I recently saw a computer simulation of a nuclear exchange between Nato and Russia…UK ceased to exist…gone and all the inhabitants gone and uninhabitable for a 1.000yrs…every country suffers but the UK most.

  15. How ironic that, having hollowed-out our Forces under Cameron the same shower, having weakened NATO & shown EU disunity via Brexshit are having to backfill against the MESS they CREATED !

  16. The Lard Cameron will soon return from his global business dealings waving a piece of paper from the steps of the publicly funded aircraft, guaranteeing 'peace in our time'…..

  18. I seriously doubt that Ukraine shot down any Kinzal missles. They can lie they did but I have studied the Patriot pack 3 system in depth. This type of interceptor is basically not capable of it. A s500 may be able to do it.

  21. How about stop expanding the Ministry of Defence and instead increase the armed forces, the MoD has well over 50k staff far larger than the Royal Navy and the RAF, if the trend continues, civil servants at the MoD will soon outnumber the Army!

  22. The uk needs to keep out of other countries problems and focus on problems at home. It’s not brain science how to sort out the uk 🇬🇧. But the clowns 🤡 people keep voting in are just going to make things worse 🙄

  25. Shades of the Cold War. No one will survive nuclear Armageddon. No one. The world will eventually die, yet we have government 'leaders' blithely discussing nuclear war with Russia.

  26. You can tell when things aren't going to plan, for the GREATEST COMEDIAN OF ALL the Greatest 🤡Putin. He starts threatening the use of nukes. Which he really DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF LAUNCHING ANY.
    FOR ALL THE PATHETIC BRAINWASHED RUSSIAN BOTS WHO HAVE NEVER AT ANY POINT SUPPORTED THIS 🤡. THE WEST ALSO HAS NUKES, NOONE WILL EVER USE NUKES.

  28. Collective West / NATO: the only ones constantly talking about Russian 'aggression' towards EU/UK but with absolutely zero evidence or proof to substantiate it with.

    The fear and paranoia displayed by these idiots is palpable and hilarious. 😂

  31. What if thousands of Iranian missals start showing up in Belarus & Russia. The possibility is diminished of the capability of air defenses being adequate??

  32. This is hilarious. If you talked about this stuff a few months ago folks on this very channel people would call you the worst but what do you folks have to say now? Are these experts putin propagandists too? You do realize nobody is going to forget this dont you?

  33. Where ever you go, There you are! .. If not war, then floods, fires, tsunami's, hurricanes. volcanoes, We Must Deal w/ "Something" .. !!!

  36. the pathetic pathological liar Poilievre is a pathological liar ask Alberta and Ontario governments are putting healthcare dollars are going

  37. Times stiop soing propaganda.
    Russia has one of the most advanced capable missiles system even better then US ..US is not match .
    Unmatched Nuckear capibilities.

    Yes i know US has vonventionsl weapins ,sci fi weapons but Missioes and Nuclear capibilities.

    Please dont set narrativrs which promotes or creates war .

    Dont do this you almost like RT or Sputnik be real

  38. Putin said he has a submarine nuclear weapon that will swamp Britain with a radioactive tidal wave and you are worried about air defense 🙄 🤔 😉?…Putin actually said it in so many words…..

  42. What about defence of the realm? Perhaps we should now allow the scouts to arm themselves again by carrying sheath knives! I used to carry one myself and managed to avoid killing anyone, mainly because I knew if my Mum found out she would have killed me!

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