A former RAF commander has issued a chilling warning: Britain only has four fighter jets ready to defend against a potential Russian attack. Air Marshal Greg Bagwell revealed that the UK’s air defenses are severely underprepared for a significant assault, with the rest of the forces stretched thin and resources quickly depleting. He cautioned that two decades of complacency have left Britain vulnerable, urging immediate bolstering of defenses to prevent Putin from exploiting this weakness.

As reported by The Sun, only four fighter jets are ready to scramble instantly in the event of a Russian strike on UK soil, a former RAF commander has warned.

Air Marshal Greg Bagwell informed that the British Armed Forces cannot defend against a “significant” onslaught by Vladimir Putin’s forces if it occurs tomorrow.

He warned that after two decades of relative peace in the post-Cold War era, Britain, like much of Europe’s NATO, has become complacent about the Russian danger and has not invested in its military.

As a result of this lack of forethought, the UK’s “second-class” armed forces are only capable of responding to a “limited” Russian attack including a few aircraft and missile systems.

Even then, Air Marshal Bagwell, a 36-year RAF veteran, warned that Britain’s limited number of aircraft, defense systems, and missiles would fast become “stretched.”

However, if an unhinged Putin were to launch a big attack on Britain, as we have witnessed in Ukraine, the veteran combat pilot warned that the RAF would be swamped.

Air Marshal Bagwell, who commanded numerous operations as deputy commander, stated that only four Eurofighter Typhoons were ready to deploy immediately as part of Britain’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA).

He stated that two fighter jets are based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and the other two at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

The veteran stated that the remainder of the Air Force could “relatively quickly” mobilize and deploy other aircraft in response to an enemy threat, but warned that our resources would soon run out.

Air Marshall Bagwell also warned that Britain’s arsenal of weapons and spares will soon run out.

That’s because the UK’s missiles are “designed for short wars of choice where we don’t expect a significant air threat to be present”.

Air Marshall Bagwell said: “We have the capabilities to respond to a relatively limited strike, but the aircraft and weapons would run out quickly.”

“Our aircraft are integrated into the Nato systems so others protect us too – especially from the East, but the North is a little more tricky.”

The former fighter pilot cautioned: “We should not have the full air force on alert today; we are not in the Battle of Britain. We do not have jets on alert throughout the country.

“The aircraft that we do have are not going to defend against a significant attack like we’re seeing in Ukraine every day.”

Air Marshal Bagwell warned the United Kingdom and other European militaries that they had stopped planning for a big conflict and had run their armed forces to the ground after two decades of peace during the Cold conflict.

He insisted that the UK strengthen its armed forces, or Putin would detect weakness and attack an unprepared Britain in the worst-case scenario.

The previous deputy commander issued a warning: “If we were going to be facing something like Ukraine faces every day, we’d have to put the entire Air Force on alert, and even then it would be stretched.”

He also stated that if Russia conducted a “surprise air attack,” it would take too long to prepare other aircraft to respond.

The aircraft Britain does have are not going to defend against a significant attack like we’re seeing in Ukraine every day.

Greg Bagwell Air Marshal

According to Air Marshal Bagwell, “The trick is predicting that surprise with enough time.”

The veteran pointed out that there are only six squadrons at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby, and they would quickly wear out.

He responded to The Sun: “With only six Typhoon squadrons and at least three overseas deployments that would wear them out and their weapon stockpiles quite quickly.”

According to the former deputy commander, the UK currently has roughly 130 Typhoons, but this figure will reduce to around 100 by next year.

And he warned: “Of those, not all will be ready to fly.”

The RAF veteran stated that the rest of the UK Armed Forces are likewise in dire situations.

He mentioned that the Royal Navy possesses six Type-45 missile air defense ships, but the majority are either under repair or deployed to the Gulf.

The UK’s missiles are designed for short wars of choice where we don’t expect a significant air threat to be present

Greg Bagwell Air Marshal

HMS Daring, HMS Dragon, and HMS Defender are all undergoing maintenance, according to Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge earlier this year.

HMS Diamond, one of Britain’s most modern warships, is now deployed in the Red Sea to protect global shipping against Houthi rebel attacks.

According to Air Marshal Bagwell, the majority of Britain’s ground-based air defense assets are deployed to territories such as the Falkland Islands.

The veteran stated, “We’re thin because we didn’t buy these weapons and systems for the type of threat [Putin poses].”

“We kind of wished that threat away but it’s turned up now.”

When asked how long it would take to get all Type-45s back in service, he said: “It will take months to try and bring them back online because of the maintenance that’s required on them.”

“They’re going through an update program so that would take a long time.”

Air Marshal Bagwell stated that the Air Force could “relatively quickly” stand up, but that our resources would soon run out.

The former deputy commander warned: “If you tell the Air Force tomorrow, everyone will be on alert.

“But how long for? A week, a month, a year? You’d wear it out.

“And I can tell you now that the number of missiles that we possess are designed for short wars of choice where we don’t expect a significant air threat to be present.”

Our Air Force would be worn out in the face of a significant Russian threat

Greg Bagwell Air Marshal

A defense insider told The Sun that the troops on standby were motivated by intelligence reports.

They stated, “This is always intelligence-led, and if we had intelligence of an impending air or missile attack, you would have a lot more on standby.”

“But it is pointless to have them all sitting at RAF Conningsby or RAF Lossiemouth, waiting for anything to happen.

“We currently have six in Romania, on a NATO air policing operation, because that is where the threat is. We have some in Cyprus.

“And if anything was fired at Britain then the chances are all of Nato would be involved in the response, not least because missiles from Russia would likely have to go through or close to allies’ air space before they reach the UK.”

A MOD spokesperson said: “The UK is well prepared for any event and defense of the UK would be taken alongside our NATO allies.

“Readiness levels are regularly reviewed about the threat faced by both the UK and NATO and military assets are deployed accordingly.”  

Army chiefs say Britain must bolster defences

Air Marshal Bagwell joins army officials in saying that Britain and the rest of Europe must strengthen their defenses to dissuade Russia from attacking the West.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also warned that Europe is not prepared for a terrible escalation of the war in Ukraine if Putin wins.

The veteran lawmaker delivered a terrifying message, claiming that Europe has entered a “pre-war era” that is disturbingly similar to 1939 when Hitler prepared to invade Poland.

General Richard Barrons previously said that European NATO countries must strengthen their defenses rather than relying on one another to pay for the alliance’s defense.

He claimed that while Europe argues over who should pay what, Russia has increased its defense spending to 6% of GDP.

General Barrons noted that while Defence Secretary Grant Shapps cautioned that the UK is in a “pre-war world,” the Treasury made no substantial announcements on defense spending in the Spring Budget.

Furthermore, the government has no intentions to grow the army’s size beyond its current level of approximately 74,000 full-time troops, which is down from 102,000 in 2006.

A second former British Army General cautioned that the UK’s army, which has decreased by about 30% since 2,000, is now “too small” to provide any meaningful deterrence against Russia.

The former General, who wished to remain unnamed, said: “If Britain wants to be a real player in NATO and be taken seriously by the United States, our primary military ally, we must invest adequately in defense.

“We need to be closer to 4 percent of GDP on defense than 2 percent but I fully accept that means making cuts elsewhere.”

The veteran, who served in Afghanistan, cautioned that the British army is now “second class” and lacks the troops, contemporary weapons, and ammunition required to play a meaningful role in NATO.

The military analyst stated, “The army is currently too small to face a foe like Russia.

“We’re not spending enough money on ammunition; we have Royal Artillery regiments without weapons, and tank sheds that are no longer stocked with tanks.

“It’s an entire world of issues. If we had to go to war with Russia in the next few years, we’d be stuffed.”

General Barrons described the UK’s current predicament as “ridiculous”.

He emphasized how the government warns the people about living in a hazardous pre-war era that we must ignore while claiming “we can’t afford to do anything about it”.

General Barrons said: “That’s not going to work. We cannot live in a situation where our security is somehow unaffordably unaffordable.

“This is ridiculous.”

And the rest of NATO doesn’t fare any better than the UK.

Nearly 20 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, fail to spend the requisite 2% of their GDP on defense.

Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that amid escalating tensions, Russia has launched devastating airstrikes targeting Ukrainian airfields designated to host NATO’s F-16 jets. This strategic move underscores heightened geopolitical stakes and raises international concerns over the intensifying conflict.