Amid a heightened international climate, the UK government has begun updating a secret war plan that has not been revised since 2005. The Times reports that the update is being led by the Cabinet Office’s resilience directorate and is aimed at adapting to modern challenges such as cyber attacks and missile strikes on critical infrastructure.
The updated plan envisages scenarios including cruise and ballistic missile strikes, nuclear attacks and cyber warfare. Special attention is paid to the defence of energy facilities, communication lines and transport hubs. For the first time, such a document addresses in detail the threats of cyber attacks that could disrupt government agencies and critical infrastructure.
The preparation also considers the possibility of a national missile defence system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome. The proposal will be included in the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review, which is set to determine national security priorities.
The plan, according to The Telegraph, was modelled on a secret Cold War-era dossier with instructions on how the government should respond to a nuclear attack. It also contained plans to evacuate the prime minister and key cabinet ministers. In addition, it suggested that the BBC would broadcast adverts on how to shelter from missiles, and that valuable works of art would be removed from London to Scotland. The current document, as The Telegraph notes, is also secret, and is unlikely to be made public for decades – if ever.
A senior British air force official has expressed the view that if the UK faced an invasion in a scenario like Ukraine, Russian missiles would breach British defences and destroy infrastructure on the first night.
Earlier this year, the UK government signed a 100-year agreement with Ukraine providing for economic, military and scientific co-operation, including the supply of mobile air defence systems . These measures underscore London’s desire to strengthen its defence capabilities and support its allies.
