Could the Violet Friend missile-defence project have worked?

Could Britain's Violet Friend anti-ballistic-missile programme have worked?

Probably, given time and funding, particularly against intermediate-range missiles, though Polaris displaced the wider land-based deterrent plan.

Violet Friend probably could have worked if it had received sufficient funding and development time. Intercepting intermediate-range ballistic missiles was a more achievable task than defeating intercontinental weapons, and much of the project drew on existing technology. The plan sat alongside nuclear-armed Bloodhound development and silo-based Blue Streak proposals before the Polaris submarine system became the preferred deterrent. Continued development could have left Britain with a useful long-range surface-to-air defence capability.