The truth behind G7 'missile launcher' on the coast of Cornwall
With security hotting up across Cornwall for this week's G7 Summit it's no surprise that any unusual looking bit of kit, aircraft or boat is causing a lot of interest.
This week alone we have seen Chinook helicopters above Cornwall, Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tyne in St Ives Bay and even Marine One, the President of the United States' helicopter flanked by three V-22 Ospreys, Cornwall Live reports.
Perhaps the strangest sighting yet was a huge bit of military hardware surrounded by parked cars.
A photograph of what was described as an Army Rapier Missile Launcher on the coast at Godrevy was shared hundreds of times on Facebook.
However, the truth is rather less dramatic.
The Ministry of Defence verified that the "missile launcher" is actually an RAF radar, Giraffe – Agile Multi Beam Radar (G-AMB Radar).
The G-AMB radar is a surveillance and tracking radar designed for naval and land-based applications.
The system can monitor for air targets and simultaneously locate and warn against incoming rocket, artillery and mortar rounds. It can also provide countries with coastal surveillance.
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/truth-behind-g7-missile-launcher-5506010