BRITAIN’S much-criticised slow involvement in the Middle East war would have been a “pinprick” to Iran compared to the US and Israeli onslaught, a UK expert has warned.
Dithering PM Keir Starmer has been slammed on both sides of the Atlantic for the country’s lack of involvement in the opening stages of the conflict to wipe out the terrorist Iranian regime, with Donald Trump blasting he is “no Winston Churchill“.
Even if it had come sooner, critics argue that the “fundamentally limited” arsenal – after years of under-investment – would have failed to move the dial.
Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at RUSI, said: “This is not to say that UK efforts would not have been precise and effective – but that the size of the forces available would represent a token contribution, rather than a decisive one.”
Israel has unleashed more than 200 combat aircraft in the initial strikes on Iran, flying over 700 sorties. Meanwhile, the US is believed to have used a further 200.
In comparison, the overall number of RAF Typhoons and F-35s is between 140-150 – and not all will be ready for frontline combat at any one time.
Another potential contribution from the UK would have been the use of an attack submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Savill pointed to the Royal Navy‘s “appalling” availability for the Astute-class submarines, the largest and most powerful attack vessels that can strike at targets up to 620 miles.
Yet, one is under construction, one undergoing trials, and five in service – of which only one is operating, and that was sent to Australia in January.
In the past few years, the challenge for the UK, Savill explained, is that the visible presence of its armed forces in the Middle East has been shrinking – from under-funding to focusing on defences across NATO.
“[This] is as a result of the pressure on the military, and the conscious decision to prioritise elsewhere, most recently in the ‘NATO First’ approach of the Strategic Defence Review of 2025,” he said.
He added: “The UK is a middle power having to make choices with limited resources.
“It has often been said that when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
“The UK does not have a hammer for conventional operations; it has a scalpel, small and precise, requiring careful choices over where it should be employed.
“In the case of Iran, cheerleaders are calling for involvement in a war where the main coalition partner is unable to stick to a consistent rationale, and has recently been berating European countries about their lack of focus on European security.
“It is therefore unclear why the UK should divert scarce resources from Europe that would neither be decisive nor influence a mercurial US administration that does not need them.”
Savill admitted that the country has not been “idle” – counter-drone units appear to have been involved in downing Iranian drones while defending Jordan and Iraq.
It comes as…
“But these are pinpricks against the wider volume of Iranian strikes being aimed in all directions,” he said.
“The issue is that the UK has a fundamentally limited set of ground-based defensive systems, both in terms of numbers and range.
“While it can call upon various weapons based upon the Starstreak missile, suitable for tackling drones, as well as jammers as part of ORCUS system, these are short-ranged (just a few miles) and intended for point defence.”
Any significant deployment would represent the commitment of a large percentage of the UK’s combat power.
Savill added: “It is probably right that it prioritises defensive actions and protecting partners, while enabling actions by others that reduce direct threats.
“But this will necessitate being up front about the limits of UK power, and arguing that when ‘something must be done’, for the time being that something might have to be done by others.”
This comes as HMS Dragon – a Type 45 destroyer – began its journey to the eastern Mediterranean to join the UK’s defensive operations in the region – the latest involvement of British military resources.
In contrast, military vessels from allies Greece and France arrived within days of Iran launching retaliatory attacks across the Gulf.
The warship is capable of shooting down Iranian drones and medium-range ballistic missiles.
According to the Royal Navy, it can also launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously.
Its onboard flight deck and hangar can house a Merlin helicopter for the patrol work, attacks and search and rescue.
The government has also announced it is preparing a second vessel, the landing ship RFA Lyme Bay, for potential deployment if the crisis deepens.
