When a crisis reaches the Cabinet table, the options available have already been shaped by years of decisions about investment, infrastructure and preparedness.
That is why Sky’s forthcoming series, The Wargame, deserves attention well beyond Westminster. Launching on 21 September, the four-part constructed documentary places senior political, military and intelligence figures inside a simulated crisis involving a Russian attack on UK soil. A live discussion hosted by Cathy Newman follows the finale on 24 September.
The participants include Lord Michael Gove, Rt Hon Dame Penny Mordaunt, Nicola Sturgeon, Baroness Ayesha Hazarika and UDSS Co-Chair General Sir Richard Barrons. For UDSS, Sir Richard’s involvement provides a direct connection between the exercise and the real questions facing Britain: he also co-led the Strategic Defence Review 2025.
The scenario is simulated. The need to examine our readiness is real.
The SDR called for a whole-of-society approach to defence and resilience, recognising that military strength depends on the country’s ability to withstand disruption, sustain operations and recover. The Wargame offers an opportunity to bring those responsibilities into public discussion.
An adversary does not have to begin with a missile. Confusion, sabotage and the erosion of trust can create pressure before the nature of an attack is clear. Deepfakes and deliberately misleading claims can divide the public, unsettle allies and distort the information reaching decision-makers.
Misinformation can spread through honest mistakes. Disinformation is designed to deceive. During a crisis, both can have consequences far beyond the original message.
For government, the challenge is to communicate verified information quickly while being candid about what remains unknown. For the public, trusted information must be recognisable and accessible, including when normal communications are disrupted. Independent journalism, transparent sourcing and visible corrections all matter. Credibility must be built before it is needed.
These pressures also test deterrence. NATO’s Article 5 treats an armed attack against one ally as an attack against all, but each ally determines the assistance it considers necessary, which may include armed force. It is a collective commitment whose effectiveness depends on political resolve and usable capability.
A simulation can explore hesitation or disagreement without establishing that NATO itself has failed. The practical question is whether allies can assess events, agree a response and act quickly enough to deny an aggressor its objectives.
Grey-zone aggression makes that judgement harder. Responding carries risks; allowing hostile activity to continue can also carry costs. Preparation gives leaders more credible choices when neither action nor restraint offers a painless outcome.
At home, those choices depend on the resilience of critical national infrastructure. Electricity, water, telecommunications, transport and healthcare support both daily life and military operations. A failure in one system can place others under immediate pressure.
Civil nuclear infrastructure requires particular attention. Its protection encompasses physical security, personnel, cyber security and sensitive information. These are established regulatory responsibilities, overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. They must also connect with wider arrangements for emergency response, continuity and public communication.
The nuclear deterrent and the protection of civil nuclear facilities serve different purposes. Both belong in a serious discussion of national security, but investment in one does not remove the responsibilities attached to the other.
Air and missile defence demands similar precision. The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers provide important air-defence capability, with Sea Viper undergoing upgrades to address evolving threats, including ballistic missiles. That capability should not be confused with continuous protection of every part of the country.
The useful question is what Britain can protect, against which threats, and for how long. The answer involves sensors, interceptors, ammunition stocks, trained personnel, maintenance and cooperation with allies. For the naval fleet, funding must support availability and endurance as well as the acquisition of ships. A capability has to be ready when required and sustainable after the first engagement.
This is where the Defence Investment Plan must translate strategic ambition into delivery. Published on 30 June 2026, it sets out major investment choices backed by £298 billion over four years.
That commitment matters. Its practical value will be measured in operational capability: equipment delivered, stockpiles replenished, people trained and infrastructure ready. Defence spending also needs to give industry sufficient confidence to invest in production capacity and the workforce needed to sustain it.
The National Armaments Director Group has a central role. It brings together responsibilities spanning science, technology, procurement, infrastructure and support, with the aim of delivering integrated capability faster and more effectively. Its emphasis on industrial partnership connects national requirements with the organisations that must fulfil them.
For businesses, this makes resilience and defence delivery leadership responsibilities. Boards need to understand their dependencies, test continuity arrangements and establish how they would cooperate with government and essential partners under pressure.
The same principle extends to communities. Lady Olga Maitland’s emphasis on the resilience imperative is reflected in UDSS’s forthcoming discussion with her and Sir Richard Barrons on domestic infrastructure, civil preparedness and cooperation between government, industry and the public. UDSS: Closing the Resilience Gap.
A prepared population needs clear guidance, practical ways to contribute and confidence that institutions have rehearsed their responsibilities. Public understanding is part of national endurance.
The Wargame can help make these issues tangible. Its lasting value will depend on the conversations and decisions it prompts beyond the screen.
For government, industry and infrastructure leaders, the question is immediate: if a crisis began tomorrow, which parts of your response have actually been tested?
The Wargame launches on Sky and NOW on 21 September 2026.