Devastating missiles rain on UK in chilling simulation after ‘Ukraine wake-up call’

leaders recently carried out a serious simulation to find out what might happen if Russia launched an attack on Britain. The results were very worrying. The simulation, known as the Gladiator wargame, was organized after Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The idea was to take what happened in Ukraine and imagine if the same thing happened to the UK instead.

Air Commodore Blythe Crawford spoke about the results during a major security conference in London. He explained that they recreated the events of February 24, 2022, when Russia first attacked Ukraine, but this time they imagined Britain as the target. What they saw was alarming. The UK’s air defences were completely overwhelmed, and the situation turned bad very quickly. Crawford said it “was not a pretty picture” and made it clear that Britain is more vulnerable than many people had thought.

For a long time, the UK believed it was fairly safe because it sits on the western edge of Europe. Many felt that if a conflict happened, other European countries would be in danger first, giving Britain more time to react. But the war in Ukraine has changed that thinking. Seeing how fast Ukraine was hit and how difficult it has been for them to defend themselves made the UK realize it needed to seriously rethink its own security.

Crawford explained that modern warfare is now far more complicated than it used to be. Today’s battles involve a huge variety of threats, not just fighter jets or a few missiles. Countries now have to defend themselves against massive waves of drones, rockets, and long-range missiles all at the same time. This makes the job of defending a country much harder than it was even just a few years ago.

Since 2022, Britain has worked hard to improve its air defence. It has linked together fighter jets, naval ships, and land-based missile systems to create a stronger and more coordinated defence network. However, the UK still doesn’t have a defence shield like Israel’s Iron Dome, which can shoot down rockets and missiles before they can do any damage to cities.

If Russia ever launched an attack on Britain, it would be different from Ukraine’s situation. Missiles would need to travel across European airspace first, and Russia would likely also send forces from the Atlantic Ocean using its powerful Northern Fleet. This could make it harder for Britain to spot and stop the attacks in time.

Crawford also pointed out the major challenges of dealing with swarms of drones. In Ukraine today, hundreds of drones are launched at once. Some are armed with explosives, while others are just decoys meant to confuse defences. Military leaders now have to make difficult choices: should they try to shoot down every single drone, or only focus on the ones that are truly dangerous? These are the tough realities that modern warfare brings, not just for Ukraine, but for all Western countries, including Britain.

To show just how serious the threat can be, an image from a Russian military drill shows a giant nuclear missile being launched from a submarine in the White Sea. It is a powerful reminder that Russia’s military strength is still very real.

Crawford said the Ukraine war has been a huge warning for the West. For many years, air forces were usually able to quickly take control of the skies during a conflict. But now, with both Ukraine and Russia having strong air defence systems, neither side is able to dominate the air. This is a major change in how wars are fought and it could have big effects on any future conflicts.

Looking ahead, Crawford warned that any future attacks could involve not just a few missiles or drones, but massive waves of attacks happening all at once. Hundreds of drones, rockets, and even long-range missiles could strike by air, land, and sea at the same time, making it very difficult to defend against everything.

Even though the simulation showed serious risks, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said the country is ready to defend itself. A spokesperson said Britain is fully prepared to deal with any threat, and will continue working closely with NATO allies to protect its people. They also pointed out that Britain has powerful defence systems in place, like the Sea Viper missile system, which recently shot down a ballistic missile and drones fired by rebels in the Red Sea. This shows that even though the risks are real, the UK military is aware of them and is doing everything it can to stay prepared.