Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD)
Doctrine and systems for land-based interception of aerial threats — manned aircraft, missiles, and (increasingly) sUAS. Distinct from air-policing (interceptors) and naval AAW.
UK posture (as of late 2024)
The UK GBAD fleet is small and was characterized as “paltry” in the 27 November 2024 Westminster Hall debate (see src-uk-airspace-defense-gap-2024-11):
- british-army operates ~6 sky-sabre systems (~25 km intercept; cannot defeat ballistic / hypersonic).
- royal-navy Type 45 destroyers provide the only ballistic-missile detect/track/partial-intercept capability — but inherently maritime.
- RAF quick-reaction-alert aircraft cover top-cover aerial intercept.
- No terminal-phase ballistic-missile defense.
- Long target list undefended: AWE sites (atomic-weapons-establishment), raf-lakenheath B61 storage, nuclear and gas power stations.
Relation to UAP / drone story
Capability gap context for the drone-incursions over USAF UK bases. UK has no equivalent of jiatf-401 or NORTHCOM’s flyaway-kit for homeland counter-sUAS.