A perspective on fusion relevant remote handling techniques

System availability is a key factor in the economic success or failure of any power station. It is inherent in the nature of a Tokamak based fusion energy device that a significant part of the repair and maintenance of components located close to the plasma will need to be done using remote handling methods.The feasibility of remotely maintaining a Tokamak has been successfully demonstrated at the JET project where every major modification inside the torus since 1998 has been performed using remote handling techniques.In this paper the author reflects on the remote handling activities at JET offering a personal view on the record and identifying the key elements which have contributed to a successful outcome.