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Britain insists on joint role at missile base

Fylingdales (England): Britain’s controversial new part in the United States’ anti-missile system has opened its secretive doors in an effort to show that the British union flag, not the stars and stripes, flies over the world’s most sophisticated radar screen.

As scores of satellites and chunks of space debris registered on the multimillion-pound scanners at Fylingdales in North Yorkshire, in the north of England, three perimeters of razor wire and electrified fence were parted to show the results of a three-year upgrade.

The underground operations bunker, sealed against chemical and nuclear attack, was included in the tour, which followed a row over the U.K. Government’s brief announcement that the system was up and running in a written answer on the last day of House of Commons business before MPs left for holidays last week.

Opponents of the “son of Star Wars” tie-in with the U.S., which has Fylingdales sending radar findings to the Cheyenne Mountain defence centre within 60 seconds, also attacked the inclusion of the Menwith Hill complex, the eavesdropping base on the other side of Yorkshire, in the anti-missile network. This was also revealed in the three-paragraph answer by U.K. Defence Secretary Des Browne after previous denials that Fylingdales was earmarked by the U.S. for anti-missile defence.

The RAF (British air force) head of Fylingdales, Wing Commander Nicky Loveday, said the new role, which would guide interceptors to destroy ballistic missiles, was a joint operation, but with 82 RAF personnel at the base compared with one U.S. liaison officer.

She said: “A lot of people think that this is just a token effort by the RAF but that is absolutely not the case.”

The gaunt pyramid on a hilltop patrolled by armed police and dogs retains its separate, 44-year-old role of watching for missile attacks on the U.K. and NATO countries, with a radar shield which stretches into space above Europe.

The base says that its motto, “We are watching”, is now aimed at rogue states and not “responsible states with established strategic nuclear forces” such as Russia and China. Simulated enemy rockets in the promotional video at Fylingdales, however, still have red stars on them and are launched from somewhere in the old USSR. This is likely to be altered shortly.

Fylingdales also warns military and industrial clients when “suspect” satellites are passing over them, an asset which could have commercial implications. At a more modest level, the base has opened a bridleway for horse riders past the foundations of the now demolished golf ball radomes which first made it internationally famous. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2007

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