Cruise tested over Canada

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 10

Cruise tested over Canada

NZPA-AP Grand Forks An American 852 bomber carrying four unarmed cruise missiles flew a. 13hour test run over Canada yesterday and returned to its base, in spite of legal efforts to halt the test The exercise called for the bomber to descend to 984 feet near the Primrose Lake air weapons range in Alberta, Canada, to test transmissionof guidancedata. The bomber’s flight from Grand Forks Air Base, North Dakota, had been under way for several hours

when Justice Francis Muldoon, of the Federal Court of Canada, in Ottawa, ruled against a request for an injunction to halt the test. Justice Muldoon said that there was no clear evidence that such tests jeopardise Canadians’ Constitutional guarantees of life or security of person. That was the basis of legal complaints about the test filed by a coalition group, Operation Dismantle, Inc., which had been fighting the test for several months. The eight-engine 852 flew

over the North-west Territories, north-eastern British Columbia and northern Alberta, carrying the four air-launched missiles. The guidance system on one missile was used to direct the aircraft A second was designated as back-up, and the other two were for balance. All four of the unarmed, 5.4 metre-long missiles remained attached to the bomber. The test was the only one scheduled this year. Others will be conducted over Canada between 1985 and 1989.

Major Dave MacNamee, of the United States Air Force, said that Canada, was ideal for such tests, “because it offers Arctic conditions, a long, straight route and a sophisticated observation facility at Primrose.” The Canadian Government has signed a five-year cruise-testing agreement with the United States as part of its commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The groundlaunched version Of the missile has already been deployed in Europe.