Conventional threat to UK

Recent releases at The National Archives

Threat of Soviet attack on Britain

25 February 2005

In this file Foreign and Commonwealth officials accuse the Ministry of Defence of predicting an "unduly horrific" threat of Soviet attack against Britain during the height of the Cold War. The Ministry of Defence advocated the use of cross channel hovercraft in order to evade mines that might be laid in the Channel and at major British ports and estimated that it would costs of £1,600 million to bring defence measures up to the required standard. J E Jackson from the Foreign and Commonwealth office commented that the proposals from the Ministry of Defence were "unrealistic" and suggested that the Ministry of defence re-draft their proposals. Jackson commented that "The conventional threat paper as it finally emerged...avoids the flesh creeping scenarios of the earlier drafts."