Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge has announced plans to protect Britain from direct attack by investing up to £10 billion in a new missile and drone defence system called ‘Britannia Shield’.
The announcement follows Kemi Badenoch's commitment last month to increase defence spending by over £10 billion a year to reach 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, funded by welfare reform and the reprioritisation of existing expenditure.
‘Britannia Shield’ will provide an integrated network of radar, command and control systems, and interceptor missiles capable of defending Britain's critical national infrastructure and military bases against increasing drone and missile threats. It builds on previous defence commitments made by the Conservatives – including pledges to create a £50 billion Sovereign Defence Fund, grow the size of the British Army, introduce Tax-Free Reserve Service.
The announcement comes as the threat of missile and drone attack against Britain and our allies continues to grow. Russia bombards Ukraine daily with ever more advanced drones and missiles, and they were behind a drone attack on Leipzig airport in August.
Drones launched by Iranian proxies have hit our RAF base in Cyprus, and when Iran fired missiles at the Chagos islands earlier this year, it was the US who stepped in to launch interceptors. NATO allies, especially in the Baltic States, are suffering ever greater numbers of drone incursions and western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could attack a NATO country by 2030.
We live in an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable world, where threats to the UK and our allies are growing in scale and complexity, yet Britain remains dangerously exposed. A report in November 2025 by the Defence Select Committee warned that, compared to European allies investing heavily in integrated air and missile defence, the UK has “next to nothing
The Conservatives will close this dangerous capability gap by committing up to £10 billion over ten years. We will deliver a minimal deployable capability within our first term in office, with the remaining investment focused on expanding and strengthening the system over time.
Britannia Shield will have three key components:
SENSE: New advanced radar systems, to detect incoming missiles and drones.
DECIDE: Upgraded command and control systems to integrate information from across Britain's defences and rapidly identify the most effective response.
EFFECT: New interceptor missiles, counter-drone capabilities, and significantly larger missile stockpiles to defeat incoming threats.
Taken together these investments will provide a vital layered defence against threats ranging from low-cost drones to more sophisticated missiles, building on and upgrading existing British systems wherever possible to accelerate delivery and maximise value for money.
In contrast, Labour's Defence Investment Plan allocated just £790 million of new funding over 10 years for missile defence, despite growing evidence of the threat and billions being invested by European allies. Greece has committed approximately $3.1 billion to its integrated air and missile defences – called ‘Achilles Shield’, whilst Belgium and the Netherlands have announced more than €3 billion for joint air defence architecture.
Britain cannot afford to fall behind while others are strengthening their defences. The Conservatives are setting out how they would use additional funding for defence to address critical gaps in Britain's defence capabilities and protect our country, including our sovereign territories and our overseas bases.
Kemi Badenoch MP, Leader of the Conservative Party, said:
“The first duty of government is to defend the country and keep people safe. Labour are failing that basic test.
“The world will not wait for Britain to get ready. War has returned to Europe. Missiles and drones are transforming warfare in the Middle East. Cheap weapons can now threaten cities, military bases and critical infrastructure in ways that would have sounded like science fiction a generation ago
“If a missile or drone is launched at Britain, we do not get a second chance to wish we had prepared.
“That is why today we are announcing Britannia Shield: a new national missile-and-drone defence system to protect the whole United Kingdom, our sovereign territories and British bases overseas.
“Britannia Shield will invest £10 billion in the radar, missiles and technology needed to detect these threats and stop them before they reach British soil.
“This is what a strong govt is meant to focus on. Families can make their own choices. Businesses can build and innovate. But only government can defend the country.
“Yet Labour still will not commit the money Britain needs for defence. They keep pouring billions into a broken welfare system while leaving our security underfunded. When forced to choose, they pick social security over national security.
“Conservatives choose differently. We have fully funded defence spending at 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, because keeping Britain safe cannot be another promise for some distant point in the future.
“The threat is here. Britain must be ready. And Britannia Shield will help make sure we are.”
In his speech, James Cartlidge MP, Shadow Defence Secretary, will say:
“Today I’m announcing that the next Conservative Government would deliver the most significant upgrade to UK air defence for generations.
“It’s called – Britannia Shield – a fully integrated, multi-layered missile defence system, capable of protecting our nation from drone and missile attack.
“With a ten-billion-pound 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.
“And only possible because of our willingness to take the tough decisions to fund Defence.”
