Chief of Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton Declares UK Faces Most Dangerous Period Since Cold War
The head of the military, Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton, has warned that the UK currently faces greater risks and threats than at any point since the Cold War. Sir Richard declared, "This is the most dangerous period that I have known," highlighting a notable increase in Russian strategic aircraft incursions into UK airspace.
"There have been as many incursions by Russian strategic aircraft into UK airspace in the first five months of this year as in the whole of 2025," Sir Richard stated, cautioning that Russia "risks crossing a line." He linked this to last year's Strategic Defence Review, which he characterised as a "call to arms," and stressed the necessity for the UK to prepare for longer wars, akin to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a departure from recent decades' focus on brief, contained engagements.
These remarks arrive ahead of the anticipated release of the Defence Investment Plan, a document detailing funding for new equipment and defence infrastructure over the next decade. Its publication has faced multiple delays, originally expected in autumn 2025. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed earlier this week that the Prime Minister is "determined to publish" the plan before a NATO summit scheduled for 7 July.
Responding to criticisms regarding the UK's diminished military capabilities, Sir Richard expressed confidence that ministers are acutely aware of the threats and are committed to increasing defence spending. "Exactly as the Prime Minister says, we need to spend more on defence and do it faster. The challenge for ministers is to make those difficult trade-off decisions," he elaborated.
Sir Richard also underscored the evolving nature of warfare, particularly the growing importance of drones and autonomous systems. He reiterated the severity of the current threat landscape, stating, "I'm very clear that this is the most dangerous time I have known in my working life. And the risks and threats to this country are greater than I have known since the Cold War." He added that Russia is probing both the UK's "traditional military defences" and engaging in other hostile activities, including cyberattacks, sabotage, and assassination attempts, concluding that "Russia is definitely raising the stakes and risks crossing a line."
