Anglo-French Variable Geometry Aircraft

HC Deb 23 March 1967 vol 743 cc1905-6

39. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on his talks with General Steinhoff on the subject of possible German purchase of an Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft.

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force (Mr. Merlyn Rees)

General Steinhoff visited in this country firms associated with the AFVG and with the Jaguar and took the opportunity to have talks with the Air Staff also.

Mr. Dalyell

Does not the proposed sale of the AFVG aircraft to the Western Germans face the Soviet Union with the most provocative challenge the West could, in its folly, devise: a nuclear force which includes, and might be dominated by, Western Germany?

Mr. Rees

No, Sir. My hon. Friend should think about it rather as a consideration of the replacement for the F104. Arrangements inside N.A.T.O. have in that case been made satisfactorily over a number of years.