The UK is quietly updating its secret Cold War-era plans for how to respond if the country comes under attack – including conventional and nuclear missile strikes or cyberattacks.
The plan outlines what the government would do during a war, including how to keep its roads, railways, and communications running, protecting ministers and the royal family.
The document also detailed how the BBC would issue civil defense announcements and how national treasures would be moved from London to secure locations in Scotland, The Telegraph reports. For the first time, it also includes scenarios involving cyber warfare.
The move comes as British ministers officially named Russia a national security threat for the first time in April. A senior Royal Air Force official told The Telegraph that in a Ukraine-style invasion, Russian missiles could destroy British infrastructure on the first night.
The Ministry of Defence is also pushing for the development of a UK version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
The full plan remains classified and may not be made public for decades – if at all.
What we know about the UK Armed Forces in 2025
As Britain prepares to update its secret war plans amid growing threats from Russia, the state of the UK Armed Forces has come under scrutiny.
As of October 2024, the UK Regular Army had 74,612 personnel, excluding Gurkhas.
Over 20% of its regular forces are not considered medically fit to deploy, with more than 10,000 troops considered non-deployable, according to The Times.
Roughly 15,000 personnel left the military in the year up to October 2024, with over half doing so voluntarily, as reported by The Defense Post.
Nearly 60% of troops report low morale – the third straight year of decline, according to Forces News.
Only 38% are satisfied with their pension benefits, according to the 2024 Armed Forces Attitude Survey.
Twenty-three percent of personnel say they plan to leave the military due to pay and cost-of-living concerns.
A parliamentary report warned the UK could become militarily capable within two months of high-intensity warfare.