US radars 'increase UK missile threat'

Some fear the Fylingdales scheme could harm the UK

Taking part in US missile defence plans would put the UK at greater risk of attack, says a leading defence expert.

The US administration has asked the British government for use of a radar communications system at RAF Fylingdales to track incoming ballistic missiles.

Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, has said he proposes to agree to the American proposal to update the the North Yorkshire base.

But former Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Marshal Sir Timothy Garden, told File On 4 the defence system would make Fylingdales a target for potential enemies.

Hoon: Defence plans good for business

"Enemies intent on using weapons of mass destruction would see the need to take on our infrastructure, of which the ballistic missile warning radars would be a very important and perhaps the most vulnerable part," said the Air Marshal.

In a discussion paper put out shortly before Christmas, Mr Hoon says that "RAF Fylingdales is not a plausible target."

But speaking to File On 4, Mr Hoon conceded that the UK was under some risk of attack.

Economic debate

The defence secretary said: "We judge that countries such as Iraq and Korea would not have the capability to attack both Fylingdales and London - which might be a more attractive target for a country trying to strike terror into a nation."

The UK government has also suggested the missile defence plans hold the promise of highly paid jobs and big business contracts.

But Air Marshal Garden claims that back in the 80s the original Strategic Defence Initiative - or Star Wars - was not as lucrative as Whitehall had hoped.

"I think the best estimate was that over the whole project, which spent billions upon billions of dollars, we got about £1m of business.

"The US is concerned, just as other nations are, about not letting work go overseas that could be done at home.

"I think it would be expecting a great deal that much of this business is going to come the way of Britain and Europe."

Listen to this edition of File On 4 on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 2 February at 1900 GMT.