The UK Defence Secretary has threatened to stop the EU using UK overseas territories for Galileo infrastructure.
The ground infrastructure includes sensor, uplink and telemetry, tracking & control stations.
The Defence Secretary issued the first public warning that Brussels would be prevented from basing Galileo ground stations in the Falklands, Diego Garcia or Ascension unless Britain is given Galileo full access after leaving the EU.
UK has delivered a significant portion of technical expertise towards Galileo, as well as 12% of the cost.
The Secretary is reported to have stepped up the quarrel over the satellite, after saying in March that he was ‘deeply disappointed’ by the EC’s move to freeze Britain out.
He is reported to have said yesterday: “All the capabilities for Galileo don’t sit in France, don’t sit in Germany and various other countries; they sit in Britain. The only country that can make something like this work is Britain and the question they [the EU] have to ask is, ‘can they do it without us?’ I would say ‘no’. Can we do it without them? I would say the answer is ‘yes’.”
Galileo is due to be fully operational with 24 satellites by 2020. There are currently 16 usable, 5 under commissioning, 2 in testing and 3 unusable.
This action smack of pique, however it is definitely time that we stood up to the Brussels bullies. I am disappointed that this news has not been seen in the national press.
Harry Cook MBE FRIN
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