§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with long-range precision munitions; and if he will make a statement. [117487]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 3 April 2000]: The Strategic Defence Review identified precision weapons as an increasingly important military capability. The value of long-range all-weather precision weapons was confirmed during Kosovo and they are a key capability in the NATO Defence Capabilities Initiative. Long-range weapons allow the UK armed forces to strike with less risk to UK personnel and equipment, and precision guidance reduces the risk of civilian casualties.
Our current long-range precision strike capability is provided by the submarine-launched Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) which entered service in 1998 and proved effective during Kosovo. From 2002 this capability will be complemented by the introduction of the air-launched Storm Shadow missile.