EU military space policy could lead to expensive 'Star Wars' arms drive, say experts

Space policy is a 'priority' for French President Nicolas Sarkozy

The European Union is pursuing a secretive military space policy which could lead to a costly 'Star Wars' arms drive, a report warned yesterday.



It accused Brussels of using the European Space Agency to develop technologies - including a multimillion- pound EU Satellite Centre in Spain - for use by military as well as civilian authorities.



The Transnational Institute, a Dutch think-tank, said: 'EU-financed communication and spy satellites are slowly becoming reality and in the long term the inclusion of space-based missile defence and other more offensive uses of space are real options for an increasingly ambitious EU military space policy.'



Next week, ministers from all ESA member states will meet in The Hague to implement a new European space policy which identifies military 'security' as a priority.

A driving force behind the switch in policy is President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, which holds the European presidency until December 31. In July, he said the space agenda was one of his priorities.



The think-tank report also said French ambitions for the militarisation of space have caused rows with Britain - particularly over Galileo, the much-delayed European global positioning system.



The proposed European Galileo satellite now appears highly militarised

Galileo would be vital in any European deployment of the sort of GPS-guided artillery now being used by the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan.



Report author Frank Slijper, an economist and arms trade specialist, wrote: 'While Galileo is generally presented as a genuinely civilian programme, it now appears highly militarised.



'The public denial of these important capabilities shows how much Brussels and many European capitals are afraid to tell the public that Galileo is to become an extremely important tool in future warfare by European military forces.'



