§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to issue tenders for the development and production of a surface-wave over-the-horizon radar for the United Kingdom air defence ground environment.
(2) what discussions are taking place with the United States Navy concerning the establishment of a site in the United Kingdom for a United States Navy relocatable over-the-horizon radar;
(3) what collaboration is taking place between his Department and the United States Air Force systems command on the development and deployment of a north-looking over-the-horizon radar;
(4) what research has been conducted by the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment into the propagation of high frequency radar signals in Arctic regions;
(5) in what year the air defence ground environment senior engineering officers conference first received a briefing on over-the-horizon radar.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe United Kingdom and the United States are collaborating in a joint programme of studies aimed at testing the feasibility of siting, and assessing the 203W potential value of, an over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom. These studies, in which RSRE Malvern is involved, are still continuing and there are no firm plans for the issue of tenders for further stages. The air defence ground environment senior engineering officer's conference was first briefed on over-the-horizon radar in 1987.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the function and progress of the Blue Yeoman radar project.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe name Blue Yeoman covered the development of a long-range air defence radar which entered RAF service some 20 years ago and it is now being phased out. One such radar was retained at RSRE. This radar has undergone a major improvement programme and is being used to carry out research into a number of topics relating to advanced radar techniques and systems applicable to future long-range air defence.