HC Deb 13 December 1967 vol 756 cc418-9
31. Mr. Hamling

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in determining the detailed characteristics of the new classes of ships in the future Fleet.

Mr. Mason

Staff work is proceeding on the new classes of ships announced in the July White Paper and satisfactory progress is being made in considering their detailed characteristics.

Mr. Hamling

Will my hon. Friend assure the House that in this new class of ships for the Royal Navy we shall have a better cost-effectiveness?

Mr. Mason

Yes, Sir. That is one of the main aims of the exercise.

Mr. Farr

Can the Minister say whether, in view of what happened to the Israeli ship, "Elath", they will be equipped with weapons with a ship-to-ship capability?

Mr. Mason

As I said earlier there is one coming into production very soon, called "Sea Dart", which will have a very good secondary ship-to-ship capability.