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According to foreign media, the UK is living in "truly dangerous times" with the possibility of "large-scale conflict" more likely than at any time in recent history, defense officials have warned.
Sky News has been granted rare access to a top-secret military spy base in the UK's Cambridgeshire, where defense officials have warned conflict is more likely now than at any time in recent history.
According to foreign media, the UK is living in "truly dangerous times" with the possibility of "large-scale conflict" more likely than at any time in recent history, defense officials have warned.
Russia's war in Ukraine, Iran-related violence in the Middle East and China's potential to invade Taiwan are among the challenges that could prompt a sudden escalation.
At the same time, new weapons developed by rival states are growing rapidly.
China has a "world-leading" arsenal of hypersonic missiles that can travel at least five times faster than the speed of sound, making them very difficult to destroy once launched, officials said.
They signaled that the best way to defeat a weapon such as the longer-range DF-17 or DF-27 ballistic missiles would be to find launch sites inside China and take them out before they are fired.
The comments came after a group of journalists were given rare access to a top-secret military spy base in Cambridgeshire.
RAF Wyton hosts one of the largest intelligence analysis centers among the Western Allies within a complex called the Pathfinder Building.
Running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, analysts and other experts work inside a giant, gray, windowless room with a high ceiling the size of an indoor football field.
Teams are divided into sections, seated around white, curved tables, each with computers and screens, while television monitors broadcast live satellite images and drone data from areas of interest around the world.
One official said it is the "biggest top-secret board" dedicated to intelligence analysis, particularly for a group of close allies known as the Five Eyes UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Red numbers, illuminated by a line of digital clocks along one wall, give a cue to allies and other areas of interest, providing the time zones for Washington, Zulu (GMT), Stuttgart, Moscow, Canberra and Wellington.
The hall is one of several classified sites around the country used by Defense Intelligence, which includes about 4,500 personnel in total – two-thirds military, one-third civilian.
Staff are also stationed overseas in missions.
Although not a bespoke agency, Defense Intelligence is the military-focused arm of the UK intelligence community, which also includes MI6, MI5 and GCHQ.
A second official said the demand for military spy work is the highest they have seen since Russia's first attempt to invade Ukraine in 2014.
"I believe we are living in really dangerous times," the official said, noting that Defense Intelligence's job is to provide "understanding and foresight."
Underscoring the importance of this type of input, the official said: "There will be no time from a warning to make significant changes to prepare for large-scale conflict."
The official added: "We are in a pre-war situation... [We are] at a point where large-scale conflict is more likely than it has been in recent history."
The comments came after General Sir Patrick Sanders, the outgoing head of the British Army, said last month that the people of the United Kingdom must be ready to fight in a future war.
In addition, Grant Shapps, the defense secretary, has warned of a "pre-war world", though without announcing any policy changes to better prepare the nation, including civilians and industry, for the reality of what a future war will mean. .
A third Defense official provided a snapshot of the threat picture facing the UK and its allies.
"We are generally seeing a world that is complex and increasingly interconnected and has more threats of instability and competition," the official said.
Russia - armed with nuclear weapons and seeking to expand - remains the most pressing threat facing the UK and its allies, but officials said they were aware of the challenge posed by China.
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