North Korea have long threatened the US and the UK with annihilation as the hermit Kingdom’s despotic dictator Kim Jong-un marches headlong towards developing his own nuclear arsenal.
Now Defence Minister Gavin Williamson has revealed the UK will not hold back from challenging the North Korean threat amid fears increasing regional tensions could be the spark that ignites World War 3.
The head of Britain’s military forces claimed it was time for Britain to “step up” and share the burden of North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un with the US.
Mr Williamson said: ”North Korea is a massive threat, they’re a real danger to this country.
“They are currently on the pathway to have ballistic missiles that could strike London.
“This isn’t just a problem for the United States, this is a global problem.
“Britain has to step up in terms of dealing with it, there are threats emerging right around the world.
“Britain is global player, it is a world player.
“We will never hesitate to deal with aggression and threats, and that is what we have been known for doing in the past and that is what we continue to do.”
The former Chief Whip went on to confirm HMS Argyll and HMS Sutherland – both armed with SeaCeptor missile defence systems, have been deployed to the region.
Mr Williamson said: ”We have got HMS Argyll, HMS Sutherland going up to the region to do operations with our allies.
“That is something I am very proud that we are doing and we are going to continue to do.”
It comes after a former Royal Navy Commander revealed the UK has no “hard kill” system to strike down a North Korean missile if Kim Jong-un decides to target Britain.
Commander Edmonds, who served in the Royal Navy for 41 years, told Express.co.uk the UK does not have a “hard kill system” capable of blowing an incoming ICBM out of the sky as it approaches Britain.
He said: “The UK has signals intelligence and radar systems capable of detecting ballistic and cruise missiles, but no hard kill system that can shoot down ballistic missiles, and the only systems capable of dealing with cruise missiles are on warships.”
It comes as the Government mulls over potential cuts to the defence budget despite growing tensions around the world.
The increasing military power of Russia, along with North Korea’s lunge towards becoming a nuclear state have led to fears the world is teetering on the brink of World War 3.
Cdr Grahams said: “It is worth considering that no UK military force has come under sustained air attack since the Falklands War and some false perceptions persist that this situation will not change in any future operation.
“Russia is revamping its Blackjack bombers – the biggest bomber in the world – and building new airframes of this venerable aircraft. Why?”