§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment of the improvements made to Russian anti-ballistic missile defences around Moscow since 1990 and of whether Russia is still acting in strict compliance with the terms of the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty.
§ Mr. HanleyThe current Moscow ballistic missile defence system, which became operational in 1989, includes the Gazelle short-range and Gorgon long-range interceptors and conforms to the 1972 treaty and its protocols. This is a bilateral agreement between the US and Russia, and we are not aware of any compliance concerns at present.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of Russia's capability to counter ballistic missile attack in areas of its territory which lie outside the operational range of the anti-ballistic missile defences that it deploys around Moscow.
§ Mr. HanleyIn accordance with the 1972 ABM treaty, there are no strategic missile defences deployed outside of the Moscow ABM system. Some Russian surface-to-air missiles do however have a capability against short-range tactical ballistic missiles, but these are assessed as ineffective against strategic missiles.