Original Summary

AFP/Getty Images / The UK's existing Sky Sabre air defence system, seen in 2022 at the Royal Artillery's change of colours parade at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island The Conservatives have pledged to invest in a new missile and drone defence system if voted into government at the next election. Branding it "Britannia Shield", the party said it would spend up to £10bn over a decade on an integrated network of radar, command and control systems, as well as interceptor missiles. In a speech to the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge will describe it as "the most significant upgrade to UK air defence for generations". In response, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the Tories had an "abysmal record" of defending Britain during their 14 years in power, adding: "They owe Britain an apology, not another lecture." The Tories described their plans as "a British 'Iron Dome'", a reference to Israel's elaborate air defence system. The party said it would be capable of defending the UK's critical national infrastructure, military bases and sovereign territories from sophisticated threats. It added that their proposal would strengthen the UK's air defence systems at a time when Nato allies have warned they are facing repeated Russian drone incursions. They also cited a report from the defence committee of MPs last November which said the UK was lagging behind its European counterparts in having a plan to defend itself and overseas territories from a military attack. Getty Images / The UK's existing Sky Sabre system has previously been deployed in Poland as part of its support for Ukraine The Conservative Party said its "Britannia Shield" would have three components - new advanced radar systems, upgraded command and control systems to integrate information from across Britain's defences and rapidly decide a response, and new interceptor missiles as well as counter-drone capabilities. The three-tiered design of the proposal is similar to the British Army's current Sky Sabre air defence system. This system - which can intercept munitions and aircraft as well as integrate with wider air defences - was deployed by the UK to the Middle East earlier this year for defensive action against Iranian attacks. In his speech at the annual Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, Cartlidge will say: "With a £10bn budget, this would be one of Britain's most significant military programmes since the cold war. "But one that is totally necessary because of the threats we face." Streeting said in response: "They [the Conservatives] cut the Army to its smallest size since Napoleon and left a £17 billion hole in the equipment plan. "Their own defence secretary, Ben Wallace, admitted our Armed Forces had been 'hollowed out and underfunded'." The Conservatives said their plan would be funded within their existing commitment to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, paid for by welfare reform and reprioritisation of existing expenditure. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been under pressure to set out how he will reach Nato's 3.5% of GDP spending target by 2035, up from an estimated 2.6% this year. The current Labour government's Defence Investment Plan includes more than £350m to double the number of Sky Sabre systems operated by the British Army, with ground-based air defence sitting alongside air and maritime capabilities. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.

中文概览

中文标题： 保守党承诺投入100亿英镑打造“不列颠之盾”防空系统

英国保守党承诺若下次胜选，十年内投入最多100亿英镑建设“不列颠之盾”综合防空系统，包含先进雷达、升级指挥控制、拦截导弹和反无人机能力。影子国防大臣称这是数代以来英国防空最大升级。国防大臣批评保守党过去14年防务记录糟糕。资金来自2030年国防开支占GDP 3%的既有承诺，通过福利改革和重新分配支出筹措。

  • 情报分类：综合情报
  • 分类依据：英国防务政策与选举承诺新闻，非专项类别。
  • 信息来源：英语新闻 / BBC News Top Stories
  • 发布时间：2026/10/6 06:39:20