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17 December 2002 |
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http://news.mod.uk/news_headline_story.asp?newsItem_id=2201 |
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The Ministry of Defence received on 17 December a request from the United States Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, for the upgrade of the early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes. The Government will now consider the US request very seriously. The MOD published on 9 December a public discussion paper, setting out the nature of the developing ballistic missile threat. Mr Rumsfeld's letter includes an undertaking that, if Fylingdales were to be upgraded, and the UK should desire it, then the US would be prepared to extend missile defence coverage and make capabilities available to the UK as the US system evolved, subject of course to agreement on appropriate political and financial arrangements. RAF Fylingdales has operated since 1963 as one of several sites which provide early warning of ballistic missile launches against the UK, Western Europe, or the United States. The station is under UK operational command, and its data is shared between the UK and US military authorities. The upgrade requested by the US would allow it to track ballistic missiles with the precision needed to allow interception. The Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon, said in a Commons statement: "The Government will now consider the US request very seriously, agreeing to it only if we are satisfied that it will ultimately enhance the security of the UK and NATO alliance." A further statement will be made in due course.
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17 December 2002 |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2582177.stm |
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The US has requested use of the RAF's early warning station at Fylingdales, North Yorkshire, as part of its controversial missile defence
programme, Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman has confirmed.
Critics have attacked the timing of the widely-anticipated announcement, which comes on the eve of parliament's Christmas recess.
A statement confirming the request for aid with the "Son of Star Wars" system will be made in parliament, but a reply is not expected until the New Year,
says BBC defence correspondent Paul Adams.
The government is thought to be in favour and has said in the past that such a request would be considered very seriously.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has urged the public to look at the merits of a missile defence system, and the MoD listed a number of advantages last month.
How the missile defence system might work
Fylingdales has an advanced radar which could track missiles launched by rogue states or terrorists in, for example, the Middle East.
They would then in theory be shot down as they neared the US coast.
Hoon is believed to favour the US request
Hoon is believed to The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) says the government decision would be undemocratic without a full public debate.
Spokesman Neil Kingsnorth said he believed the decision had already been made.
"The whole public discussion is a public relations exercise," he said.
"The decision has already been made, they have already given the nod to America unofficially and we are pretty sure that the answer will be yes at some
point."
Protest e-mails
Mr Kingsnorth admitted it would be impossible to organise a demonstration so near to Christmas but urged the public to bombard the government with protest e-mails.
"Hopefully there will be thousands of faxes and e-mails arriving to show them that public opinion is against missile defence and to convince them that
missile defence is wrong," he said.
"A new missile defence system would give America absolute dominance over land, sea, air and information, effectively giving them a shield allowing them to
attack somebody without worrying about retaliation.
"It also means that other states, like rogue states, will increase their military arsenals which will speed up the nuclear arms race.
"We are just hoping they will say no."
Commons debate
Other opponents say the "Son of Star Wars" scheme is unnecessary, would not work and would simply make Britain a target - without giving it a protective
screen of missiles.
Labour backbenchers such as Malcolm Savidge have demanded a Commons debate on whether Britain should participate.
RAF Fylingdales is a landmark structure on the North Yorkshire Moors, a giant three-sided building giving an eye-catching contrast to the landscape.
It was first opened in 1962 as a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System.
The station still serves that purpose but also has a secondary duty of detecting, reporting and tracking satellite launches and orbits. The data it produces is shared
with the UK and US.
The station was originally famous for its three golf-ball shaped radars, which were replaced in 1980 with a pyramid-shaped radar.
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