§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of bombs and missiles currently in service to withstand repeated take-offs by the aircraft carrying them. [136235]
§ Mr. SpellarAn initial assessment of the life of a weapon, taking into account all operational factors including take-offs and landings, is made by the Design Authority when the weapon enters service. Further testing and evaluation is carried out while the weapon is in-service to identify any requirement to extend air carriage life.