Early Warning System

HC Deb 13 July 1976 vol 915 cc343-4

1. Mr. Arnold

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further consultations have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and her NATO allies on the development of an advanced early warning system.

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Roy Mason)

I attended a meeting of the Defence Planning Committee on 11 th June, when Ministers agreed the lines on which the future work required was to be done. The results of these studies will be presented at the December 1976 ministerial meeting of the DPC.

Mr. Arnold

What estimates have the Government made about the cost effectiveness of AWACS in comparison with the advanced early-warning Nimrod, and on what assumptions are those estimates based?

Mr. Mason

No such comparisons have yet been made. As far as the Boeing E3A is concerned, we are still trying to arrive at a contract definition, and this in the end, will determine to what extent the British Government or other NATO Governments will play a part. However, we have kept the Nimrod development alive and we have told our NATO partners that it is theirs for acquisition.

Dr. M. S. Miller

Is it not a fact that the AWACS development will cost a lot more than Nimrod? In addition, Nimrod would use engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce, which would give employment to people in this country.

Mr. Mason

There is no doubt about the latter point. As far as costs are concerned, these are dependent on how many E3As are ordered and to what extent they will have an enhanced capability. The numbers and sophistication of the system will determine the cost to the public.

Mr. Goodhew

How much have the Government spent on the E3A programme already? The House would like to know how far things have gone, if possible by the Summer Recess, if we are to have a recess.

Mr. Mason

We have made a small contribution to the contract definition study, because we want the Americans to make proposals before the end of the year and we want to encourage development. Apart from this, the Germans and ourselves have paid in $4 million to the end of 1976.