Britain’s
defence minister Gavin Williamson said a new radar off Scotland’s Shetland
Islands would help tackle the “severe and real” threat from Moscow.
In a return
to the Cold War days when Shetland had hosted an early warning radar, the new
Royal Air Force facility is being built to track unidentified military or
civilian aircraft.
“We will
always protect our skies from Russian aggression,” Williamson said Friday,
describing the radar as vital to British defences.
“Russia’s
actions are not limited to Europe’s eastern borders — the threat to British
livelihoods is severe and real,” he added.
The £10
million ($14.1 million, 11.4 million euro) radar on Unst, Britain’s most
northerly inhabited island, is due to be fully operational soon, the Ministry
of Defence said.
Once
launched it will feed into the country’s quick reaction alert system, which in
the past has been used to scramble RAF jets to intercept Russian aircraft.
On January
15 two fighter jets were launched to monitor two Russian military aircraft,
which the Ministry of Defence said did not respond to air traffic control
authorities.
A total of
69 such operations have been carried out in the past five years, the ministry
said without detailing how many involved Russian aircraft.
Williamson’s
praise for the radar comes as he and defence chiefs up their rhetoric against
Russia.
On Thursday
the defence minister accused Moscow of spying on Britain’s crucial
infrastructure, as part of possible plans to create “total chaos” in the
country, in comments published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
His
intervention came after the head of the British army warned Russia poses the
“most complex and capable” security challenge since the Cold War.
Chief of the
General Staff Nick Carter warned Monday that Britain struggled to match
Russia’s military capabilities, saying the ability to respond to threats would
be eroded “if we don’t match up to them now”.
The comments
come as Williamson, in the post since November, is reportedly pressuring
finance minister Philip Hammond for more money.
In a return
to the Cold War days when Shetland had hosted an early warning radar, the new
Royal Air Force facility is being built to track unidentified military or
civilian aircraft.
“We will
always protect our skies from Russian aggression,” Williamson said Friday,
describing the radar as vital to British defences.
“Russia’s
actions are not limited to Europe’s eastern borders — the threat to British
livelihoods is severe and real,” he added.
The £10
million ($14.1 million, 11.4 million euro) radar on Unst, Britain’s most
northerly inhabited island, is due to be fully operational soon, the Ministry
of Defence said.
Once
launched it will feed into the country’s quick reaction alert system, which in
the past has been used to scramble RAF jets to intercept Russian aircraft.
On January
15 two fighter jets were launched to monitor two Russian military aircraft,
which the Ministry of Defence said did not respond to air traffic control
authorities.
A total of
69 such operations have been carried out in the past five years, the ministry
said without detailing how many involved Russian aircraft.
Williamson’s
praise for the radar comes as he and defence chiefs up their rhetoric against
Russia.
On Thursday
the defence minister accused Moscow of spying on Britain’s crucial
infrastructure, as part of possible plans to create “total chaos” in the
country, in comments published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
His
intervention came after the head of the British army warned Russia poses the
“most complex and capable” security challenge since the Cold War.
Chief of the
General Staff Nick Carter warned Monday that Britain struggled to match
Russia’s military capabilities, saying the ability to respond to threats would
be eroded “if we don’t match up to them now”.
The comments
come as Williamson, in the post since November, is reportedly pressuring
finance minister Philip Hammond for more money.
In a return
to the Cold War days when Shetland had hosted an early warning radar, the new
Royal Air Force facility is being built to track unidentified military or
civilian aircraft.
“We will
always protect our skies from Russian aggression,” Williamson said Friday,
describing the radar as vital to British defences.
“Russia’s
actions are not limited to Europe’s eastern borders — the threat to British
livelihoods is severe and real,” he added.
The £10
million ($14.1 million, 11.4 million euro) radar on Unst, Britain’s most
northerly inhabited island, is due to be fully operational soon, the Ministry
of Defence said.
Once
launched it will feed into the country’s quick reaction alert system, which in
the past has been used to scramble RAF jets to intercept Russian aircraft.
On January
15 two fighter jets were launched to monitor two Russian military aircraft,
which the Ministry of Defence said did not respond to air traffic control
authorities.
A total of
69 such operations have been carried out in the past five years, the ministry
said without detailing how many involved Russian aircraft.
Williamson’s
praise for the radar comes as he and defence chiefs up their rhetoric against
Russia.
On Thursday
the defence minister accused Moscow of spying on Britain’s crucial
infrastructure, as part of possible plans to create “total chaos” in the
country, in comments published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
His
intervention came after the head of the British army warned Russia poses the
“most complex and capable” security challenge since the Cold War.
Chief of the
General Staff Nick Carter warned Monday that Britain struggled to match
Russia’s military capabilities, saying the ability to respond to threats would
be eroded “if we don’t match up to them now”.
The comments
come as Williamson, in the post since November, is reportedly pressuring
finance minister Philip Hammond for more money.
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