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U.S. Plans II: Allies Debate Costs as Pentagon Prepares Interceptors for 2004 The United States will probably have four prototype interceptors capable of destroying long-range missiles ready in September 2004, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said yesterday during testimony before the a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense. The United States will build silos for missile interceptors at Fort Greely, Alaska, Wolfowitz said (Matt Kelley, Associated Press/Yahoo.com, Feb. 27). United Kingdom Debates Role in U.S. Missile Defense System Meanwhile, British officials yesterday continued to debate what role the United Kingdom should play in a U.S. missile defense system (see GSN, Nov. 21, 2001). The United States has not formally requested the use of British bases for a missile defense system, but it probably will, British Defense Ministry officials said. “The facilities feature very large in their [U.S.] calculations,” said defense official Brian Hawtin, adding that the United States could upgrade software at British bases to track missiles. The United Kingdom has already given permission to the United States to install a space-based infrared system ground relay station at Menwith Hill to observe missile launches around the world, the officials said. “If the U.S. wanted to use this for missile defense purposes, it would need to request approval,” Hawtin said. British officials are discussing the potential consequences of assisting the United States, the defense officials said. Involvement in the system could cost the United Kingdom between 5 billion and 10 billion pounds, they said. Some officials expressed skepticism about the need for a missile defense system, saying that terrorists would probably not use missiles. “It is not a terrorist priority to acquire ballistic missiles as much as weapons of mass destruction,” said Marcus Fitzgerald, Defense Ministry nuclear policy director (Richard Norton-Taylor, London Guardian, Feb. 28). Canada Opposes Weaponization of Space In Canada, the government opposes the “weaponization of space” and is making that clear to the United States, which is considering a space-based missile defense system, Canadian Defense Minister Arthur Eggleton and Foreign Minister Bill Graham said yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 30). “Canada is opposed to the weaponization of space. Having said that, we do agree in surveillance programs, surveillance from space of Earth, surveillance of space,” Eggleton told the Canadian House of Commons. “Canada’s position has always been against the weaponization of space, and we will maintain that position,” Graham said (Agence France-Presse, Feb. 27).
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