Britain would 'struggle' in a war against Russia, former defence chiefs warn

[metronome]

Former defence chiefs have questioned whether the UK’s air defences would be adequate in the event of a conflict with Russia.

The warning comes days after RAF jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers flying in international airspace off the coast of Cornwall.

Sir Michael Graydon told the Daily Mail newspaper: “We are at half the capabilities we had previously. They fly in these regions to check our air defences and have probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were.

“They know it is provocative and they are doing it at a time when defence in the west is pretty wet compared to where they are.”

Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, formerly the RAF’s director of defence studies, told the paper the Royal Air Force would likely be overwhelmed by sheer numbers in the event of a Russian attack despite having state of the art technology.

A Russian Bear 'H' aircraft photographed from an intercepting RAF Typhoon near UK airspace

The Wednesday incident led to two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft taking off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and escorting the Russian planes.

The Tupolev Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers are generally used as maritime patrol aircraft but can be adapted to be used as cruise missile platform.

Sir Michael explained that the flights by the Russian aircraft were designed to test Britain’s air defence response and that the country’s military commanders would have “probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were”.

Nato chiefs also claim Russia has stepped up air patrols over the Baltic sea.

David Cameron dismissed the incident, saying yesterday: “I suspect what’s happening here is the Russians are trying to make some sort of a point, and I don’t think we should dignify it with too much of a response.”

But Russia's deputy foreign minister responded angrily to claims by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon yesterday that the country posed a “real and present danger” to the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Alexander Lukashevich said the comments were “beyond diplomatic ethics”.

According to a 2013 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Britain spends 2.4% of its GDP on defence, while Russia spends 3.1%. China spends 1.2% and the United States spends 3.7%.

Britain would 'struggle' in a war against Russia, former defence chiefs warn - Home News - UK - The Independent

 

[Yaduveer]

20-25 years back, Erstwhile USSR had power to overrun whole Europe like walk in garden... Now Britons are dreaming about confronting Russia alone.

Power bhi kitani ajeeb cheez hoti hai.

 

[Superboy]

20-25 years back, Erstwhile USSR had power to overrun whole Europe like walk in garden... Now Britons are dreaming about confronting Russia alone.

Power bhi kitani ajeeb cheez hoti hai.

No European country can conquer Europe. Rome didn't. Britain didn't. Napoleon didn't. Hitler didn't. Europe will remain forever divided. Too many European cultures.

 

[Galad]

Dont pay attention to such articles full with usual nonsense made in the West.Translation for such articles-give us more money to buy expensive military toys.If not Russia another imaginery threat will be find to satisfy desires of MIC and their boys in Western militaries.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Well I think they'd have trouble in the 1940's too.

 

[Schutz]

Well I dont think we would fight alone and whilst politically our leaders arent on the same level, the citizens of either nation would never want something like that to happen because your average person really does not care about world affairs.

 

[Gibbs]

Hilarious.. "Struggle" would be overestimation

 

[Zarvan]

Former defence chiefs have questioned whether the UK’s air defences would be adequate in the event of a conflict with Russia.

The warning comes days after RAF jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers flying in international airspace off the coast of Cornwall.

Sir Michael Graydon told the Daily Mail newspaper: “We are at half the capabilities we had previously. They fly in these regions to check our air defences and have probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were.

“They know it is provocative and they are doing it at a time when defence in the west is pretty wet compared to where they are.”

Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, formerly the RAF’s director of defence studies, told the paper the Royal Air Force would likely be overwhelmed by sheer numbers in the event of a Russian attack despite having state of the art technology.

A Russian Bear 'H' aircraft photographed from an intercepting RAF Typhoon near UK airspace

The Wednesday incident led to two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft taking off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and escorting the Russian planes.

The Tupolev Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers are generally used as maritime patrol aircraft but can be adapted to be used as cruise missile platform.

Sir Michael explained that the flights by the Russian aircraft were designed to test Britain’s air defence response and that the country’s military commanders would have “probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were”.

Nato chiefs also claim Russia has stepped up air patrols over the Baltic sea.

David Cameron dismissed the incident, saying yesterday: “I suspect what’s happening here is the Russians are trying to make some sort of a point, and I don’t think we should dignify it with too much of a response.”

But Russia's deputy foreign minister responded angrily to claims by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon yesterday that the country posed a “real and present danger” to the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Alexander Lukashevich said the comments were “beyond diplomatic ethics”.

According to a 2013 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Britain spends 2.4% of its GDP on defence, while Russia spends 3.1%. China spends 1.2% and the United States spends 3.7%.

Britain would 'struggle' in a war against Russia, former defence chiefs warn - Home News - UK - The Independent

Every one knows because tech is pretty much equal but size of Russia way more than UK

 

[Echo_419]

Former defence chiefs have questioned whether the UK’s air defences would be adequate in the event of a conflict with Russia.

The warning comes days after RAF jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian strategic bombers flying in international airspace off the coast of Cornwall.

Sir Michael Graydon told the Daily Mail newspaper: “We are at half the capabilities we had previously. They fly in these regions to check our air defences and have probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were.

“They know it is provocative and they are doing it at a time when defence in the west is pretty wet compared to where they are.”

Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, formerly the RAF’s director of defence studies, told the paper the Royal Air Force would likely be overwhelmed by sheer numbers in the event of a Russian attack despite having state of the art technology.

A Russian Bear 'H' aircraft photographed from an intercepting RAF Typhoon near UK airspace

The Wednesday incident led to two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft taking off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and escorting the Russian planes.

The Tupolev Tu-95 ‘Bear’ bombers are generally used as maritime patrol aircraft but can be adapted to be used as cruise missile platform.

Sir Michael explained that the flights by the Russian aircraft were designed to test Britain’s air defence response and that the country’s military commanders would have “probably worked out we are not as sharp as we were”.

Nato chiefs also claim Russia has stepped up air patrols over the Baltic sea.

David Cameron dismissed the incident, saying yesterday: “I suspect what’s happening here is the Russians are trying to make some sort of a point, and I don’t think we should dignify it with too much of a response.”

But Russia's deputy foreign minister responded angrily to claims by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon yesterday that the country posed a “real and present danger” to the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

Alexander Lukashevich said thecomments were “beyond diplomatic ethics”.

According to a 2013 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Britain spends 2.4% of its GDP on defence, while Russia spends 3.1%. China spends 1.2% and the United States spends 3.7%.

Britain would 'struggle' in a war against Russia, former defence chiefs warn - Home News - UK - The Independent

I always like how the Brits always punch above their weight

 

[qamar1990]

20-25 years back, Erstwhile USSR had power to overrun whole Europe like walk in garden... Now Britons are dreaming about confronting Russia alone.

Power bhi kitani ajeeb cheez hoti hai.

in their dreams... Russia would obliterate uk..

 

[doppelganger]

Russia preety much saved the UK from being invaded in WWII by diverting and holding the Nazi forces in the European theater. The Brits like to remind the world about the air battle of Britain. Fact of the matter is that after France, Britain would have been next.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Russia preety much saved the UK from being invaded in WWII by diverting and holding the Nazi forces in the European theater. The Brits like to remind the world about the air battle of Britain. Fact of the matter is that after France, Britain would have been next.

They were next. But Germany had a hard time achieving it. The Battle of Britain was a year before the invasion of Russia. They couldn't get air superiority so it delayed their landings. Russia then tipped things by invading Romania and Hitler was worried this was a sinister conspiracy by Russia and Britain to cut off his oil supplies and catch him in a pincer move. He then attacked Russia.

 

[flamer84]

They were next. But Germany had a hard time achieving it. The Battle of Britain was a year before the invasion of Russia. They couldn't get air superiority so it delayed their landings. Russia then tipped things by invading Romania and Hitler was worried this was a sinister conspiracy by Russia and Britain to cut off his oil supplies and catch him in a pincer move. He then attacked Russia.

It wasn't exactly like that.It was a 1 year difference between the Soviet invasion of Romania and German invasion of the USSR .The USSR gave Romania an ultimatum to vacate Besserabia and Northern Bukovina in june 1940.Some wanted to resist but that was an uphill battle made even worse if suddenly Hungary or Bulgaria (which had claims on Romanian territory ) would have attacked to.Romania asked Hitler if he would help,he said NO.Romania asked Hitler if he would at least restrain his Bulgarian and Hungarian allies while we fight the Soviets.He said NO.Romania asked Yugoslavia,Greece,Turkey if they would attack Hungary,Bulgaria if those two would attack Romania (as specified by their defence treaties).Turkey said YES,Yugoslavia and Greece said NO.Faced with this situation Romania gave in to Soviet ultimatums.Later that summer Germany and Italy threathened Romania to give territories to Hungary and Bulgaria which we did.It was all paid in full when Romania "betrayed"(it was a logical move) Germany in August 1944 to salvage what could have been salvaged from the disastrous war.In the end only Hungarian territories lost in 1940 were returned to Romania.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

It wasn't exactly like that.It was a 1 year difference between the Soviet invasion of Romania and German invasion of the USSR .The USSR gave Romania an ultimatum to vacate Besserabia and Northern Bukovina in june 1940.Some wanted to resist but that was an uphill battle made even worse if suddenly Hungary or Bulgaria (which had claims on Romanian territory ) would have attacked to.Romania asked Hitler if he would help,he said NO.Romania asked Hitler if he would at least restrain his Bulgarian and Hungarian allies while we fight the Soviets.He said NO.Romania asked Yugoslavia,Greece,Turkey if they would attack Hungary,Bulgaria if those two would attack Romania (as specified by their defence treaties).Turkey said YES,Yugoslavia and Greece said NO.Faced with this situation Romania gave in to Soviet ultimatums.Later that summer Germany and Italy threathened Romania to give territories to Hungary and Bulgaria which we did.It was all paid in full when Romania "betrayed"(it was a logical move) Germany in August 1944 to salvage what could have been salvaged from the disastrous war.In the end only Hungarian territories lost in 1940 were returned to Romania.

Actually I shouldn't have said Romania. I should have said Bessarabia. Didn't the Russians take the land back in 1940? I always thought this land grab by Russia was before Operation Barbarossa and this made Hitler nervous about Stalin.

 

[flamer84]

Actually I shouldn't have said Romania. I should have said Bessarabia. Didn't the Russians take the land back in 1940? I always thought this land grab by Russia was before Operation Barbarossa and this made Hitler nervous about Stalin.

The oilfields of Romania were agreed upon that they won't be touched by the Soviets in the Ribbentrop-Molotov deal.I think what made Hitler nervous was that the Soviets grabbed Northern Bukovina to altough their agreement with Germany was only about Besserabia.

As for the "taking it back part",well,that's a long story.It was seized by the Russians from the Romanian Principality of Moldova in 1812,given back in 1856,seized again by Russia in 1878 from Romania,taken back by Romania in 1918,seized again by the USSR in 1940,taken back by Romania in 1941 and lost again to the USSR in 1944.In 1991 it became independent and it's known today as Moldova.