Why is the Dispersal Era Confusing?
1. 1955: Strategic Force is to be Mks.2 Vs with ASMs, ahead of Mks.1 with Yellow Sun, to be replaced c.1965 by Blue Streak IRBM. Dispersal as core, 27 sites, as a normal pattern of operation, in 4 a/c Flights: purpose is to decoy and survive Bison on Main Bases.
2. 1958: we start digging ORPs. We gain access to US atomic Art and Article. Thor IRBM on way to RAF. US learns how to detect ICBM launch, so BMEWS is funded to be up c.1962. (1959: add Fylingdales - part-up 17/9/63). No more threat of bolt from the blue. US Bombs reduce our buy of Blue Danube/Red Beard/Yellow Sun(now, Mk.1); they need indispersible GI custodials. Treasury asks why pour for a few home-builds? Digging slows.
3. 1959/60: IRBM accuracy grows. Blue Streak is vulnerable, so must be silo-sited: even more delay/cost: deleted 13/4/60. RAF mans surface-Thor from 4/6/60 till USSR IRBMs are up. Force is intended to be 72 Vulcan 2, each 2xSkybolt, ahead of Vulcan 1/Victor 1/2 (ex-B.Steel) with YS2. 207 Sqdn Valiant stands up 1 QRA aircraft (Marham was Saceur's not MBF's, until mid-65). Brass suggests extending the idea to MBF. Treasury suggest we are confused between QRA and dispersal, and that in tension ("we will bury you") to Move Out is provocative (=rail mobilisation,1914). Brass say "use it or lose it".
4. 1961: UK decides that survivability lends credibility to a posture of "no first use". So: a QRA element at Main Base (1 Jan.'62, 1 a/c p.Sqdn.at 15 mins.); 75% U/E generation within 24hr.; a dispersal element. US weapons gone from MBF 17/3/62, so whole Force can disperse. Digging resumes.
5. 21/12/62: delete Skybolt, insert Polaris/SSBN. ex-UK deep nuclear strike deleted with TSR.2, 6/4/65. Many sites de-activated in 1966 as we run down MBF.
That's why.