HC Deb 24 October 2002 vol 391 cc433-4W
Mr. Jenkin

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the in-service date is of the Nimrod MRA4; and if he will make a statement. [76380]

Dr. Moonie

The contractual in-service date for the Nimrod MRA4 is March 2005, though risk analysis suggests the date will be later in 2005. BAE SYSTEMS have recently acknowledged a delay in the programme for the first flight of Nimrod MRA4. The consequences of first flight slippage on ISD and potential mitigation action are being urgently examined by the Ministry of Defence and the Company. The results of this work will be available at the end of the year. It would therefore be premature to speculate on the impact of this slippage on the in-service date for the MRA4.