§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the number of Backfire bombers now in service with the Soviet Navy and Soviet Air Force, respectively; and to what extent these constitute a threat, additional to that posed by other Soviet weapons to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. PymWe estimate that over 40 Backfire bombers are now in service with the Soviet long range air force and about the same number in service with the Soviet naval air force. These new weapons are a major qualitative enhancement of the air threat to the United Kingdom. Their higher speed, longer range and greater nuclear or conventional weapon load, including improved stand-oft missiles, provide the Soviet Union with a much more flexible capability for mounting both nuclear and conventional attacks against the whole of Western Europe and maritime targets as far as the Eastern Atlantic.