HC Deb 01 April 1998 vol 309 cc550-1W
Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on upgrades and enhancements to Jaguar aircraft in Royal Air Force service in each of the last 10 years. [36445]

Mr. Spellar

Details of expenditure on upgrades and enhancements to Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft for the last four financial years are provided below. Before that time expenditure was minimal, and retrieval and collation of the relevant information could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Financial year £ million VAT included
1994–95 1.89
1995–96 24.25
1996–97 27.07
1997–98 18.59

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost per flying hour of operating in Royal Air Force service(a) Jaguar aircraft and (b) Tornado GR1 aircraft. [36447]

Dr. Reid

The average cost, (at current prices) per flying hour of operating a Royal Air Force Jaguar is approximately £13.3K and for a Royal Air Force Tornado GR1 is approximately £23.3K. This includes the variable flying costs and the apportionment of the station's fixed costs and overheads.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of maintenance man-hours per flying hour in Royal Air Force service(a) Jaguar aircraft and (b) Tornado GR1 aircraft. [36448]

Mr. Spellar

The average number of maintenance man-hours per flying hour recorded for Jaguar and Tornado aircraft in Royal Air Force service is as provided. The figures include work which is carried out by the RAF at 1st, 2nd and 3rd line, but do not include maintenance work undertaken by industry which is not calculated in man-hours:

  1. (a)Jaguar—12.24 maintenance man-hours per flying hour.
  2. (b)Tornado GRl/la/lb—17.00 maintenance man-hours perflying hour.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department intends to spend in the current financial year and in the next two financial years on upgrades and enhancements to Jaguar aircraft in Royal Air Force service. [36446]

Mr. Spellar

Expenditure on upgrades and enhancements to Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft in the current financial year, and that proposed for the next two financial years, is around £60 million inclusive of VAT.