§ 20. Mr. MillerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the Government's plans to procure replacements for the current Invincible class of aircraft carriers. [100973]
§ 35. Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the Government's plans to procure replacements for the current Invincible class of aircraft carrier. [100988]
§ Mr. HoonCompetitive contracts for the Future Aircraft Carrier Assessment Phase were awarded on 23 November to British Aerospace Land and Sea Systems and Thomson-CSF Naval Combat Systems. The Assessment Phase will investigate options for carrier design and by 2003 deliver proposals for the demonstration and manufacture of the vessels. The carriers are scheduled to enter service in 2012 and 2015.