Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken on implementing a UK-wide air defence system in (a) 2019-2024 (b) since 2024.

Between 2019 and 2024, the Ministry of Defence's approach to air defence was based on maintaining and developing the UK's layered air defence capabilities, including Typhoon aircraft and Type 45 destroyers, rather than a dedicated Iron Dome or Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) style concept.

Since 2024, the Government has placed greater emphasis on homeland IAMD. The Defence Investment Plan provides a further £790 million for dedicated homeland air and missile defence, focused on strengthening foundational capabilities through enhanced command and control, sensing systems, new radars, counter-drone capabilities and layered responses.

The Department continues to mature these capabilities and engage industry and NATO Allies. Capable and effective air and missile defence for the whole United Kingdom can only be delivered through a layered, NATO-integrated approach, rather than through a single standalone system.