§ Mr. MansTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on improvements to the Tornado F3 radar.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkCertain features of the second stage of the Foxhunter radar programme, together with other improvements, have already been introduced into those Tornado F3s deployed to the Gulf. We have now decided to add these improvements to the second stage of the radar programme, so that they can be extended to all Tornado F3 squadrons.
§ Mr. MansTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the Tornado F3 aircraft.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkWe have decided not to proceed with the weapon system upgrade of the Tornado F3. We are confident that even without it the aircraft will continue to give effective service well into the next century. We anticipate that from the end of the present decade the European fighter aircraft will begin to complement the Tornado F3, thus providing a powerful reinforcement to the air defence capability of the Royal Air Force.