Are we ready for war? Welcome to The i Paper’s opinion series in which our writers tackle a question that, until recently, few had thought to consider.
• Britain is closer to nuclear war than you think. This is how it will unfold• This generation of Britons couldn’t handle the death toll of a modern war• Russia is aiming to control the UK. It would tear society apart• Britain’s tanks would be eviscerated in a war with Russia. Here’s how to fix them• The UK’s plan for civilians in a war is terrifying – you’re on your own• World War 3 is closer than you think. And still Britain is half asleep• Britain’s most important spies are uniquely vulnerable to Trump
In the 80s, Soviet marshal Nikolai Ogarkov predicted a “Military Technical Revolution”. He argued that long-range precision weapons would soon achieve strategic effects once reserved for nuclear strikes. Today, the Russian military has turned Ogarkov’s vision into a high-capacity industrial reality, producing roughly 1,400 cruise and ballistic missiles annually.
You might be thinking, “What about these drones I have been hearing about?” The Shahed and Geran attack drones used by Russia and Iran are certainly a problem, but from an air-defence perspective they are manageable. Ukraine has downed many thousands with heavy machine guns and air-defence cannons, which are far cheaper than missiles.
