Missiles (Hansard, 21 October 1975)

§ Mr. Trotter
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what differences in performance led to his decision to order the Harpoon submarine-launched missile rather than the Anglo-French Martel.

§ Mr. William Rodgers
Sub-Harpoon provides better value than Sub-Martel because it is likely to be considerably cheaper and available both sooner and with less technical and financial risk. In addition, it possesses useful advantages in a longer range and a more powerful warhead.

§ Mr. Trotter
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is intended eventually to use the Harpoon missile in surface-to-surface or air-to-surface rôles.

§ Mr. William Rodgers
It is much too soon to say.

§ Mr. Trotter
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will list in the Official Report the types of missile currently in use by each of the Services with brief details as to the rôle and the date they entered service, similarly those types currently under development and those types where development has been cancelled in the last five years.

§ Mr. William Rodgers
The information is as follows: 159W

GUIDED WEAPON PROJECTS

Primary role Category Services concerned Weapon in Service (In service date) In Full Development or Projected Purchase Cancellations 1970–75

Strategic nuclear Sub-surface to surface. RN Polaris (1966)

Tactical nuclear Surface to surface. Army Honest John (1961). Lance

Anti-submarine Surface to subsurface. RN Ikara (1974)

Anti-ship Surface to surface. RN Exocet (1975)

Sub-surface to surface. RN Sub-Harpoon Sub-Martel (1975).

Air to surface RN AS 12 (heliborne) (1968). Skua (heliborne).

RN/RAF Martel (1974).

Battlefield support Anti-tank Army Wombat (not guided) (1964 medium range). Milan.

Vigilant (1964 medium range).

Swingfire (1969) (long range). Beeswing (1975) (Swingfire adaptation).

SS11 (1971) (heliborne). Hawks wing (heliborne anti-tank) (1975).

Anti-Aircraft (including anti-missile where appropriate). Surface to air RN Seacat (close range) (1962).

Seaslug I (medium range) (1961). Seawolf Seadart

Seaslug II (medium range) (1967).

Army Blowpipe (unit self-defence (1975)).

RAF Tigercat (short range) (1968).

Army/RAF Rapier (short range) (1974). Blindfire attachment.

Thunderbird II/Bloodhound II (medium range) (1965).

Air to air RAF/RN Firestreak (short range) (early '60s). Taildog (short range) (1970).

Red Top (short range) (early '60s). QC434 (1974).

Sidewinder (short range) (1968).

Sparrow (medium range) (1969) XJ 521 (U.K. development of Sparrow).

160W

GUIDED WEAPON PROJECTS
Primary role	Category	Services concerned	Weapon in Service (In service date)	In Full Development or Projected Purchase	Cancellations 1970–75
Strategic nuclear	Sub-surface to surface.	RN	Polaris (1966)
Tactical nuclear	Surface to surface.	Army	Honest John (1961).	Lance
Anti-submarine	Surface to subsurface.	RN	Ikara (1974)
Anti-ship	Surface to surface.	RN	Exocet (1975)
Sub-surface to surface.	RN		Sub-Harpoon	Sub-Martel (1975).
Air to surface	RN	AS 12 (heliborne) (1968).	Skua (heliborne).
RN/RAF	Martel (1974).
Battlefield support	Anti-tank	Army	Wombat (not guided) (1964 medium range).	Milan.
Vigilant (1964 medium range).
Swingfire (1969) (long range).		Beeswing (1975) (Swingfire adaptation).
SS11 (1971) (heliborne).		Hawks wing (heliborne anti-tank) (1975).
Anti-Aircraft (including anti-missile where appropriate).	Surface to air	RN	Seacat (close range) (1962).
Seaslug I (medium range) (1961).	Seawolf Seadart
Seaslug II (medium range) (1967).
Army	Blowpipe (unit self-defence (1975)).
RAF	Tigercat (short range) (1968).
Army/RAF	Rapier (short range) (1974).	Blindfire attachment.
Thunderbird II/Bloodhound II (medium range) (1965).
Air to air	RAF/RN	Firestreak (short range) (early '60s).		Taildog (short range) (1970).
Red Top (short range) (early '60s).		QC434 (1974).
Sidewinder (short range) (1968).
Sparrow (medium range) (1969)	XJ 521 (U.K. development of Sparrow).