Missile Defence Systems (Hansard, 3 April 2001)

HC Deb 03 April 2001 vol 366 cc110-1W 110W

§ Mr. Quentin Davies
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he ms reviewed the United States Aegis (SM2 BLOCK IV and SM3 missile version) air defence and anti-ballistic missile defence system as the possible basis for ground-based theatre defence for deployed forces; and if he will make a statement; [156729]
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(2) if he has recently reviewed (a) the Patriot PAC 3 Advanced Capability missile, (b) the ground-based Aster 30, (c) the Israeli Arrow system and d) other system of theatre anti-ballistic missile and combined anti-ballistic missile and anti-air defence; and if he will make a statement. [156673]

§ Mr. Hoon
The UK's Pre-feasibility Study undertaken in 1994–96 reviewed all Government sponsored anti-ballistic missile systems either under development or expected to evolve into development programmes. The guidance from this study contributed to the decision, as part of the Strategic Defence Review, to embark on the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme, which has continued to monitor developments both in the threat and in the technologies available to counter it.

§ Mr. Quentin Davies
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is committed to the NATO summit decision to recognise the need for extended theatre defence against ballistic missiles for deployed forces; and what steps he intends to take to address this threat. [156678]

§ Mr. Hoon
The UK is firmly committed to the implementation of the Defence Capabilities Initiative, which was launched at the last NATO summit in Washington DC in April 1999. Since 1998, we have contributed to NATO analysis of how best to defend deployed NATO forces against ballistic missiles, including preparatory work for feasibility studies on Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence. We expect these studies to start later this year. Nationally, we continue to assess the potential role of ballistic missile defence systems in countering missile attacks. We monitor developments closely, but it remains our position that it would be premature to decide to acquire a ballistic missile defence for either UK territory or forces deployed overseas.