Explainer - T he hypersonic threat to the United Kingdom - By William Freer

But doubts still remain about the accuracy of hypersonics on moving targets – due to the inherent diculty of accuracy at intense speed and the problems with targeting due to the generation of a plasma layer which interferes with signals to a nd from the weapon. [...] Hypersonic threat in the Euro-Atlantic Since the beginning of the Cold War, the primary concern for British defence planners has been managing the threat from the Kremlin, whether it was the past e xpansionism of the Soviet Empire or the contemporary revanchism of Putin’s regime. [...] GSPE03 January 2024 T able 1: The game of ‘cat and mouse’ – examples of Soviet/Russian and British developments and reactions over time D evelopment Reaction 1945: Large Red Army stationed from Stettin to 1945: Creation of the British Army of the Rhine to the Adriatic in the aftermath of the Second World forwardly-deploy British land forces in Germany, to help War with a shattered Europe lying bef. [...] For the UK, the Russian hypersonic threat i n the Euro-Atlantic is threefold: ● The nuclear threat to the home islands: In theory, the British Isles are m ore vulnerable than ever to a nuclear strike ordered by the Kremlin. [...] I n the event of conflict which involved the PRC on the one side and Britain (supporting allies and partners) on the other, the Royal Navy would bear the brunt of the UK’s contribution.