UK Plans Volunteer Home Guard to Protect Critical Infrastructure

The UK government plans to establish a new home guard modeled on the World War II-era citizens' militia to protect critical infrastructure such as power plants, airports, telecommunications sites, and coastal hubs from attacks by hostile states and terrorists. This force, composed of several thousand civilian volunteers organized into local hubs, will operate separately from the army reserves but maintain a similar structure. The initiative is part of a broader Strategic Defence Review aimed at addressing vulnerabilities heightened by rising tensions with Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and includes recommendations to bolster missile defense and invest in advanced technologies like drones and unmanned vehicles. The review also highlights the UK's current under-resourcing and personnel shortages in the armed forces, with plans to increase army size and enhance capabilities, including new nuclear-powered submarines. Officials emphasize the need for a national resilience strategy, with the home guard serving as a last line of defense to safeguard vital national assets in a perceived 'pre-war era.' The Ministry of Defence has not commented officially ahead of the review's publication, but senior military and political figures advocate for these reforms to strengthen Britain's security posture.