As a former defence minister on the duty roster, I had to approve take off on more than one occasion - usually in response to Russian aircraft buzzing in our airspace. Today, the air threat looks far more hostile, complex and unpredictable.
The latest generation of long-range missiles now travel faster (moving to hypersonic speeds), often on a parabola that takes them to the edge of space. In salvos, that would simply overwhelm any aircraft response.
London is now vulnerable, as is every other city in the UK along with critical infrastructure such as airports and nuclear power stations.
The threat looks far more hostile, with increased aggression from Russian warplanes, making an attack on British soil more likely.
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