§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the deployment by the Soviet Union of Backfire bombers with long-range cruise missiles.
§ Mr. StanleyThere is no evidence that long-range (strategic) cruise missiles are currently deployed on the Backfire bomber.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to the Soviet Union's production rate of the Backfire bomber and as to whether the Backfire bomber constitutes a strategic intercontinental bomber.
§ Mr. StanleyThe Soviet Union is assessed to produce the Backfire bomber at a rate of about 30 per year. As to whether the Backfire is a strategic system, I refer the hon. Member to what is said on this point in paragraph 17 of annex A of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1986 (Cmnd. 9763–1)."