LONDON, Feb 23: Britain has officially confirmed that it is in talks with the US over the possibility of locating part of the controversial “Son of Star Wars” missile defence system on UK soil. A spokesman said talks were in initial stages, and that at this point Britain’s intention was to be kept in consideration as the US develops its plans for the system.

The US administration is developing an anti-missile defence system, originally called the National Missile Defence programme, which would deploy a defensive screen for the whole of the US with the ability to track and destroy incoming ballistic missiles. It has been nicknamed “Son of Star Wars” after the original Strategic Defence Initiative – or Star Wars – launched by President Ronald Reagan, although the new plan is not nearly as complex or extensive.

The system is designed to be effective against attack from countries with limited missile programmes, such as North Korea and Iran but not from an attack on the scale that Russia would have the ability to mount.

The system is faced with the challenge of destroying several incoming missiles, without debris falling on the intended target. That requires early warning, accuracy and multiple shots.

The technologies are still highly risky, and several tests have failed or been delayed.

The US administration is believed to want to use an early warning radar complex at Fylingdales, in northern England, as part of the missile defence system.

But a UK minister has been quoted as saying that future major developments at the radar base were “unlikely”.