§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest advice concerning the implications for the compliance with the anti-ballistic missile treaty of the conversion work at BMEWS, Fylingdales.
§ Mr. MellorWe are satisfied that the modernisation of RAF Fylingdales will be in full conformity with United States obligations under the ABM treaty. There was a ballistic missile early warning system installation at Fylingdales before the treaty was signed in 1972. The treaty does not prohibit modernisation of BMEWS radars already in existence when the treaty provisions came into force.
§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the large phased array radar under construction at the BMEWS, Fylingdales, will be (a) within the agreed anti-ballistic missile deployment area, (b) at an agreed anti-ballistic missile test range, (c) used for the sole purpose of arms control verification, (d) used for the sole purpose of tracking space objects or (e) for early warning of attack.
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§ Mr. MellorRAF Fylingdales is, and after modernisation is still planned to be, an early warning radar not an anti-ballistic missile control facility. Its primary role is to give early warning of ballistic missiles and it has a secondary role as a space tracking facility. RAF Fylingdales currently has no arms control verification role.