HC Deb 21 July 1965 vol 716 cc1559-60
13. Sir J. Eden

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the rôle in service of the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft; and with what armament and weapons it will be equipped.

Mr. Healey

As I told the House on 17th May, it is likely that we shall have to begin to withdraw from service during the middle and late 1970s, the Buccaneer, the Lightning and the Phantom. The variable geometry aircraft is likely to be a suitable replacement for some, or possibly all of them. The armament and weapons to be carried have still to be decided.

Sir J. Eden

Can the right hon. Gentleman, then, say that it is intended that the aircraft shall have a joint Service rôle?

Mr. Healey

It will certainly have a joint Service capability, but I am not prepared at this stage to say whether it will have a joint Service rôle. It is far too early to answer such a question.

Commander Courtney

Would the Minister confirm that the variable geometry aircraft is very suitable indeed for operation from aircraft carriers?

Mr. Healey

Yes, Sir, and I suppose the House will draw its own conclusions about the interests that lie behind the hon. and gallant Member's intervention.

Mr. Hastings

Is there not a very real danger that the current American-German project for a comparable aircraft will come on the market earlier than this one, and that if that does happen any hopes of building up a European aerospace industry will be virtually lost. Will he pay attention to this aspect?

Mr. Healey

Very obviously, there is a potential competition between the proposed German-American aircraft and the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft. I would hope that there would be room for both if they came into existence about the same time, but I think that it is far from being the case that if the German-American project came into production the European aerospace industry would be doomed.

Mr. Soames

Will the right hon. Gentleman still do his best to interest the German Government in this particular aircraft? It may certainly be possible for it to fulfil all the requirements of the German Government as well, and this would be a great help to the European aircraft and space industries. Further, would he say whether he intends the aircraft to have a strike and reconnaissance rôle?

Mr. Healey

As I made clear when I announced the agreement signed with the French Government, we are anxious to enable other allied Governments to participate in the project, and steps are being taken to ensure that, if possible, this will be so. I cannot add to what I have previously said about the precise rôle of the aircraft.