17 Apr 24: John Pienaar interviews John Ripley of the London Times on Ukraine air defense

17 Apr 24: John Pienaar interviews John Ripley of the London Times on Ukraine air defense, in the wake of the unsuccessful Iranian missile attack on Israel.

European allies are now considering Iron Dome style defences. Ripley feels that British defences are in a pitiable state; and indicates his preferred solution is to focus on regional problems, and leave global problems for others. The ground based air defences (GBAD) expenditure will be significant and room must be made in the budget for these items. Ripley recounts the threat by Putin to Boris Johnson that he would send a missile to 10 Downing Street, and points out that Russian possession of the Baltic enclave called Kaliningrad allows that threat to be made.

Ripley has heard estimates that the 300 Iranian missiles sent were unwinged by $800 million of Israeli Iron Dome GBAD counter-strike missiles.

Ripley points out that the Russians can loft Kalibr missiles to Britain from the Atlantic Ocean via their submarines.

Pienaar wonders whether an increase of defense expenditure from 2% GDP (actual) to 3% GDP would be warranted. Ripley says in response that a root-and-branch reform needs to happen because the British get poor bang for the buck, and that the solution is not to throw more money at the Ministry.