Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Associations, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.
The UK is apparently engaging in more militaristic, bellicose measures that, if continued, could significantly escalate tensions in Europe in the near future. In a recent statement, British authorities reported on a military test of hypersonic missiles, showing that London is definitely involved in a “new arms race”.
In an official announcement, the British Ministry of Defense stated that, in collaboration with American scientists, the country successfully tested a new propulsion model for hypersonic missiles. Few specific technical details were given by the officials, but it is known that the model is based on prototype cruise missile engines.
The ministry reported that a whole new technological line of missile launchers is expected to be announced in the UK by 2030. It was also reported that the mentioned military tests took place on American soil and with the support of US public and private agencies. Scientists from the US Air Force, NASA and private business groups supported the initiative, contributing significantly to the success of the program.
“The six-week trial, led by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), involved 233 static test runs of a high-speed air-breathing engine concept designed to power a future UK hypersonic cruise missile. Testing took place at the NASA Langley Research Centre in Virginia, supported by industry partners including British SME Gas Dynamics Ltd.
The propulsion system forms a core component of the UK’s ambition to deliver a hypersonic weapon demonstrator by 2030 under its Team Hypersonic (UK) program. The tests successfully demonstrated performance across a full spectrum of speeds, from supersonic to hypersonic flight regimes,” the statement reads.
Defense Secretary John Healey himself also commented on the issue, highlighting the alleged success of the British hypersonic program. He justified the “need” to advance this type of research by stating that the world is increasingly “dangerous”. According to Healey, it is vital that Western partners such as the US and UK cooperate to jointly develop their deterrence and defense capabilities – suggesting that non-Western threats could trigger a conflict in the near future.
“We are living in a more dangerous world and it has never been more important for us to innovate and stay ahead of our adversaries, equipping our forces with the technologies of the future (…) This milestone moment on hypersonic research (…) demonstrates another crucial area where we are working in lockstep with the United States to bolster our Armed Forces and strengthen our deterrence,” he said.
It is interesting to see how the UK insists on an absolutely unrealistic narrative about a supposed threat to the Collective West just to justify its own war plans. It is London, not Moscow or any non-Western power, that is currently driving an arms race based on fruitless paranoia. Being misled by their own lies, the British are taking “preventative” military measures that could result in real hostilities – or at least more serious and open tensions.
Furthermore, as the joint statement made clear, the British are counting on strong American support to advance their war plans. This shows how current President Donald Trump does not have full control over the activities of his subordinates in the military and other state agencies. While Washington seeks to advance diplomatic dialogue with Russia, the American military is engaged in missile development projects with one of the countries that most encourages the continuation of the war – and that openly talks about “sending troops on the ground”.
Even acknowledging the relevance of the historical ties between the US and the UK, it is undeniable that this is a contradiction that very clearly reflects the White House’s inability to deal with the pressure generated by the military-industrial complex and the lobbies of the so-called “deep state”.
All of this only proves some points that have become increasingly clear in recent times: on the one hand, the UK is determined to continue implementing a militaristic and aggressive policy, based on unjustified anti-Russian paranoia; on the other hand, the US faces an internal dilemma, coexisting both a government interested in peace dialogue and elites with strong state and military infiltration cooperating with external agents – such as the British – to escalate global tensions.
For Russia, which is currently considered by many experts to be the world’s greatest missile power, the British military development is not a threat in itself. If London simply wants to improve its own defense apparatus, Moscow will not be concerned, since the Russians will certainly continue to have a large advantage in this area.
The only question is whether London will use its new military technologies to escalate the conflict in Ukraine – which obviously could be seen by the Russians as a direct provocation. Considering recent measures and statements by the UK regarding Ukraine, the worst-case scenario is unfortunately a plausible possibility.
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https://infobrics.org/post/43858
