Iran Possesses Missile Capable of Reaching UK, But Technical Barriers Prevent Attack
As the United States and Israel continue their bombardment of Iran, a prominent military historian has assessed the nation's missile capabilities and their potential threat to the United Kingdom. Dr Mark Felton, an author and historian, has detailed that while Iran does have missiles with the range to strike British soil, critical technical limitations make such an attack extremely unlikely for the foreseeable future.
Escalating Conflict and Retaliatory Actions
The ongoing assault has prompted Iran to launch retaliatory strikes against its Gulf neighbours, causing oil prices to surge dramatically and opening a new conflict front in Lebanon. In a significant move, Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route, escalating tensions further.
Dr Felton began his analysis by referencing a previous exploration of hypothetical Russian non-nuclear attacks on the UK using cruise missile swarms from aircraft and submarines. In a video for his YouTube channel, Mark Felton Productions, he explained how such assaults could target crucial British infrastructure, including power grids, radar systems, early warning networks, ports, bridges, and military bases.
UK's Defence Vulnerabilities Exposed
In a concerning assessment, Dr Felton asserted that the United Kingdom is "not prepared for any such attacks". He highlighted the absence of an Israeli-style Iron Dome air defence system or surface-to-air missiles protecting national infrastructure and nuclear power facilities, leaving the country exposed to potential missile threats.
Shifting focus to the current conflict with Iran, Dr Felton addressed alarming commentary suggesting Iranian ballistic missiles could reach "deep into Western Europe". He confirmed this possibility is "completely true" and posed a critical question: "Could an Iran fighting for its existence against its enemies and possessing vast stocks of missiles lob a few at us Europeans as punishment for our government's support of the Israeli US attack?"
Iran's Missile Range and Capabilities
Dr Felton noted that Iran has apparently "self-limited" most of its ballistic missiles to approximately 2,000 kilometres in range. However, the nation also possesses the Khorramshahr-4 missile, capable of achieving an "absolute maximum range" of 3,000 kilometres, depending on warhead weight.
Based on expert information, if these specifications are accurate, Iran could launch a missile from western Iran and potentially hit Copenhagen, Denmark. Despite this capability, London remains "completely out of range" of these particular missiles.
Space Launch Vehicles and ICBM Potential
Dr Felton explained that Iran does possess other rocket types with sufficient range "probably to hit the UK", though these have not been modified to deliver conventional warheads. These rockets are part of Iran's space programme, used for placing satellites into orbit using space launch vehicles (SLVs).
"Western nations have been concerned for years that Iranian SLVs could provide a pathway to an intercontinental ballistic missile capability, ICBM, if Iran successfully develops a nuclear warhead," Dr Felton stated. Fortunately, there is "no evidence" that Iran has achieved this development.
Among Iran's SLVs, the Ghaem-100 has a range of 3,000 to 4,000 kilometres, likely insufficient to reach Britain. However, Iran does possess the Simorgh rocket with a range of 4,000 to 6,000 kilometres, theoretically capable of striking the UK.
Critical Technical Limitations
Despite possessing rockets with adequate range, Dr Felton highlighted fundamental technical challenges preventing Iran from effectively targeting the UK:
- Accuracy issues with long-range missile guidance systems
- Engineering difficulties in creating re-entry vehicles robust enough to protect warheads from extreme heat and stress during atmospheric re-entry
- Lack of systems required to effectively deploy warheads over such distances
Conclusion: Technical Impossibility for Now
Summing up his analysis, Dr Felton stressed that the primary reason Iran is unlikely to hit the UK with missiles is the nation's inability to overcome these technical hurdles. The absence of effective warhead deployment systems renders it "technically impossible for Iran to bombard the UK" at present, providing temporary reassurance amid escalating Middle Eastern conflicts.
