Recently, the British House of Lords discussed the current construction of the British air defense system and proposed to strengthen future air defense and anti missile capabilities. However, from the current situation, the UK's air defense and anti missile system is facing many difficulties, and the development path is full of challenges. Faced with numerous problems, the UK claims to have a multi-layered air defense and missile defense system that integrates land, sea, and air, but this is not the case. The special research report of the British think tank and the readiness inspection report released by NATO at the beginning of this year both pointed out that there are many problems in the construction of its air defense and anti missile system. The system has significant shortcomings. According to foreign media, the air defense and missile defense system developed by the UK integrates multiple fields and lacks effective means in dealing with small and medium-sized drones and ballistic missiles. In November 2024, several British air bases were invaded by small drones, highlighting their weak low altitude defense capabilities. The Times recently revealed that there is currently only one radar in the UK that can detect ballistic missiles, indicating that there are shortcomings in the UK's air defense system. Shortage of critical equipment. The "Tianjian" medium range mobile air defense system, as the core force of UK land-based air defense, is currently facing an embarrassing situation of shortage in quantity. The British Army is equipped with a total of six "Tianjian" air defense systems, one deployed in the Falkland Islands, one deployed in Poland, and four deployed on British soil. Military experts say that the four domestic "Sky Sword" air defense systems cannot cover the Scottish region, let alone fully protect the British Isles. In addition, since the retirement of the last E-3D early warning aircraft by the British Air Force in 2021, the progress of equipping new early warning aircraft has lagged behind. Poor combat readiness. In 2024, out of the six Type 45 destroyers undertaking maritime air defense missions, four of them will be stranded in ports due to power failures. The "Typhoon" fighter jet, which is responsible for local air defense missions, has been grounded multiple times due to technical issues. Such frequent malfunctions have weakened the actual combat capability of the British air defense forces. Multiple measures are being taken to address the many issues in the air defense and missile defense system. The inquiry and response documents released by the UK House of Lords show that the UK is taking multiple measures to make up for the shortcomings. Firstly, it should be given strategic importance. After the end of the Cold War, Britain's investment in air defense and missile defense decreased. In recent years, the international security situation has changed, and the UK has regained awareness of the importance of building an air defense and anti missile system. British Defense Secretary John Healy stated that this year's focus will be on enhancing air defense and missile defense capabilities. Defense Procurement Secretary Maria Iger also emphasized the urgency of modernizing the air defense and missile defense system and stated that the procurement quantity will be increased. Secondly, upgrade the equipment. The British Army plans to purchase three additional "Tianjian" air defense systems to enhance its land-based air defense capabilities. The British Navy will carry out a comprehensive upgrade of the "Sea Viper" air defense system on the Type 45 destroyer, including modifications to the "Aster-30" missile warhead and guidance control software, updates to radar and combat management systems, and strengthening anti ballistic missile capabilities. At the same time, it plans to introduce the "Aster-30" Block1NT missile, which can intercept medium range ballistic missiles carrying mobile warheads. In addition, the British Navy is accelerating the deployment process of the "Dragon Fire" shipborne directed energy weapon. The British Air Force will gradually install three E-7 early warning aircraft this year and may increase the procurement quantity. Again, focus on cooperation in system construction. In recent years, the UK has continuously strengthened its cooperation with European member states of NATO. In 2022, the UK joined the German led "European Sky Shield Initiative". In October 2024, the UK proposed the "Diamond Initiative" aimed at further enhancing interoperability with NATO European member defense air defense missile systems. In the same month, the UK and Germany signed a military cooperation agreement, proposing to deepen cooperation in the industrial sector, missile defense, and other areas between the two countries. Previously, relevant agreements had been signed between Britain, France, and France. The signing of the Anglo German agreement has completed the triangular defense agreement among the three major European countries, which will further promote the process of defense cooperation among European countries and promote the deep integration of air defense and anti missile forces. Foreign media analysis points out that the UK still has a long way to go to build a strong national air defense and anti missile system. From the perspective of the UK itself, even if the purchase of land-based air defense systems and early warning aircraft is ultimately completed, the quantity can only be restored to pre-2021 levels. From the perspective of regional cooperation, it is still unclear what results the joint initiative led by European countries can achieve, and the joint combat readiness capability lacks solid guarantees. There are still many uncertainties about whether the UK can fill the gaps in its air defense and anti missile system. (New Society)