Britain’s Conservative Party has unveiled a £10 billion proposal for a new air defense network inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, aimed at protecting cities, power stations and military bases from missile and drone attacks.

The proposed “Shield for Britain” would combine radar, command-and-control systems, interceptors and technology to counter drones. The party says the network could be deployed within five years and would address threats including potential attacks from Russia and Iran.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said protecting the country must be the government’s foremost responsibility.

“The first duty of government is to defend the country and keep its citizens safe,” she said, warning: “The world will not wait for Britain to be ready. War has returned to Europe.”

The proposal comes as the Conservatives accuse the Labour government of failing to respond adequately to growing security threats. A House of Commons Defence Committee report last year warned that Britain had “almost nothing” in air defense compared with its allies.

Concerns over European security have intensified amid warnings about Russian activity targeting critical infrastructure. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has described an increase in hybrid attacks, sabotage attempts and Russian violations of European airspace.

Britain has also faced concerns about the security of its military installations. The United States withdrew its strategic bombers from RAF Fairford this week amid fears of a suspected Iranian plot targeting the base.

Other threats cited include reports of Russian drones over British bases, drone attacks by Iranian proxies on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and Iranian missile launches toward the Chagos Islands, home to the joint British-American military base at Diego Garcia.

The Conservatives are presenting the proposed shield as a response to those vulnerabilities, arguing that Britain needs a stronger ability to defend its infrastructure and population against aerial attacks.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)