The UK Army has carried out a detailed simulation of what would happen if the UK were targeted in a similar scenario to the large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine. Using the $32 million state-of-the-art Gladiator simulation system, the study created a simulated battlefield on UK soil and deployed the country’s most advanced air defence systems into the virtual space.
Simulation Results Cause Concerns
While the full details of the simulation have not been made public, the striking comments made by Brigadier General Blythe Crawford of the Royal Air Force have revealed that the results were not encouraging. According to The Defence Post, Crawford described the simulation results as “not a pretty picture”. This comment seriously raises concerns that despite the UK’s modern air defences, its missiles could overwhelm the defences in the event of a Russian attack.
“It Was a Serious Lesson”: Security Understanding is Being Revised Against New Threats
Brigadier General Crawford stressed that the global security environment has undergone a radical change since 2022 and threats have become much more complex and difficult to predict. He particularly noted that swarms of hundreds of drones have been observed in Ukraine, some of which are merely distracting, while others are carrying munitions and carrying out attacks. Crawford said, “In the face of such a large threat, it has become a critical question whether we should strike every target or focus on certain critical targets,” and that the UK must urgently reconsider its current security approach in the face of such new-generation threats.
“We Are Now Under Threat in Our Own Lands” Warning
Crawford reminded us in his statements that the United Kingdom, due to its geographical location, has operated with the assumption that it was a secure base for many years, as wars generally took place outside the country's borders. However, Crawford emphasized that this perception is no longer valid in today's conditions, and said, "For the last few decades, we have lived with the assumption that we, as the United Kingdom, can operate comfortably from secure bases. Because our wars have generally been abroad. However, we now need to change this perspective. We now have to assume that we are under threat on our own soil as well." He revealed the seriousness of the situation.
“We are Ready” Message from the Ministry of Defense
On the other hand, despite the concerns raised by the simulation results, the official statement from the UK Ministry of Defence emphasized that the country is “fully prepared” to defend itself. Ministry officials stated that measures taken against developing threats are constantly being increased and the country’s air defense capabilities are being regularly updated. However, Brigadier General Crawford’s warnings continue to raise questions about how adequate these assurances are. Crawford also stated that the geographical location in the west of Europe has long provided the UK with a security advantage, but with rapid advances in missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technologies, distances are now reducing the effectiveness of this protective shield.
