Downing Street Says » Missile Defence

» Monday, October 18, 2004

Missile Defence

Asked for a reaction to reports suggesting that the Government had struck a secret deal with the US to install a missile system in the UK, the PMOS said that the reports were rubbish.

2 Comments »

OK so the reports were ‘rubbish’ but what about answering the question?

Are there to be any additional US missiles based in the UK?
Comment by Roger Huffadine — 18 Oct 2004 on 4:33 pm | Link
I suspect there’s a crossed wire here somewhere.

My understanding is that one of the RADARs for the ABM system is to be based in this country (at Fylingdales as an upgrade to the existing BMEWS site, I guess), but not the interceptor missiles themselves. Careful observers will note that this means that we will be a target for enemies of the US (who might want to blow up the early-warning system before launching their missiles at targets in the US mainland), but will be denied any protection that the system could offer.

That said, the missile defence system isn’t going to work anyway (it’s too hard a problem, basically), and it’s not like not building the RADAR will make other people dislike this country any less, so it doesn’t really matter anyway.
Comment by Chris Lightfoot — 18 Oct 2004 on 5:37 pm | Link

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