Published On 5/17/2026
Britain announced on Sunday that it has deployed a new, low-cost missile system in the Middle East, to protect its citizens and regional partners from drone attacks.
The British government stated – in a statement – that the Ministry of Defense worked quickly with the industrial sector, seeking to move the new system from the testing stage to deployment, in less than two months.
She added that the British Air Force’s Typhoon fighter planes will be equipped with a new advanced and accurate weapons system, to enable them to destroy targets accurately, at a cost that “does not exceed a small fraction of the price of the missiles currently used,” according to the statement.
According to the statement, Britain conducted a test strike, which it described as successful, on a ground target last March, and Air Force pilots also carried out aerial shooting operations in April, adding: “Which demonstrates the system’s ability to defend against drone attacks.”
New weapon specifications
Regarding the specifications of the system prepared to be installed on Typhoon aircraft, British Minister of the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said that it uses a laser guidance system that turns unguided missiles into low-cost precision weapons capable of shooting down enemy drones and other threats.
The Typhoon fleet constitutes the backbone of British air defense and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and is considered one of the most advanced and flexible fighters in the world, as it combines advanced sensor and control systems and an advanced design based on materials that allow it to be hidden, in addition to a superior ability to carry a variety of weapons.
The British government’s announcement comes within the framework of the escalation taking place in the region as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which analysts do not rule out a recurrence, in light of the faltering negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The announcement also comes weeks after the British Ministry of Defense signed a contract to purchase Skyhammer interceptor missiles, designed to confront Iranian Shahed drones.
According to the statement, the current British government supports the armed forces with the largest increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War, reaching 2.6% of GDP as of 2027.
