C05594176 · SANITIZED COPY • FICE FflES-63-4-1-5 -- --- EEO --- r r- v x x 1 l L' • z A ' 13526 3 3 b 1 25 Yrs • OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Of Dc Fl NSE WASHINGl'ON 0 C- 20301 EO 13526 3 3 b 6 25 Yrs July 11 I 973 Dr Schlesinger UK MATTER - MEETING AT BRITISH EMBASSY JULY IO 1971· ·Those present V Mackfrn MOD UK D Janisch - British 'Embassy ftF ¼' t Waahingt9n· D R Cotter DOD c j E Giller i rLZED I The visit of Mr V Macklin UK was prompted by questions on their part as a result of conversations hetw-cen Dr K1s lnger and Sir Burke_T rehd The US remarks on not· p v ding a foll POSEl00N MIRV cap ability to the UK ended up son1cwn · 1 garl led bv the time the informabon got to the MOD technical and operational people You recall t at the UK question was pr i manly pob t1cal- has anyth 1 ' 1g tn the i_nte rnat1onal or domestic climate r han_g d wh ch WOltld allow the US to consider makJ ng a fully MIRV•d POSEIDON ava1lab e to thf• UK _Our answer as 11 no'· and we cited the potential problems ·oj a high probability of congressional executive branch and public debate if we pro_v 1de ·MIRV technology at this _1 ime The option of doing th1 s a t some later time if necessary and desirable was left op eri and·we cited the US position in SALT of not foreclosing· SLBM IRV or $frateg1c technology transfer The garble involved some technica1 details on accuracy requirements a nd RV warhead details which led Macklin to believe that the option on MK lll W-68 assistance had changed Thia was cleared up · · · · Regarding full MIRV POSEIDON capability Maddin again stated that they have n strategic or milita1 y requirement for MIRV He mentioned ·that their 11 political people• and navy logist ic pe_op'l°e 11 wanted the full FOP SEC E'F- - SENSITIVE EYES ONLY SANITIZED COPY C05594i 76 _ - -ICE FILES-63-4-1-5 I ' f I _____ __ TE •t'il l - 2 - POSEIDON capability iri order to reduce their costs they estimate a new dispenser will ultimately cost them $200 niillion • assure reli ability by buying a p·roven system and to acc ue the· logistic benefits resulting from the US Navy having the same system in the inventory T ie real pu rpose following 1 _of Macklin'a trip could have _been one or all of the Another low-key attempt to raise the acquisition of full MIRV capability POSEIDON for reasons mentioned above 2 3 Genuine co fusion over the MK characteristics • in RV warhead ge eral Acq_uiring more information on the MK III W-68 pri r o formalizing a reque1 3t for _dis closure to on In response to my question when the UK ia likel_y decide on its course he said their ministers will meet oh the subject by th end of July D R -Cotter 'l'OP SEGR ET - SENSITIVE EYES ONLY