HC Deb 10 December 2003 vol 415 cc464-5W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the contracts will be awarded for the second tranche of the Eurofighter project; how much the contracts will be for; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay. [142303]

Mr. Ingram

Intense work is under way involving our partner nations and industry to enable contracts for the second tranche of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to be placed as soon as possible. The cost to the United Kingdom is expected to be of the order of £5,000 million. Under the original schedule, the contracts had been due to be placed during 2003 but the programme, including the delivery of Tranche 1 aircraft, has been subject to delay. We are determined to ensure that Industry's proposals for Tranche 2 are soundly based to deliver capability to a schedule against which the Royal Air Force can plan with confidence.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the planned interchangeability of weapons between the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft ordered by the four partner nations. [141978]

Mr. Ingram

It will be physically possible to fit and operate any weapon that has been integrated with Typhoon on any nation's Typhoon aircraft, although not all nations would necessarily have the airworthiness clearance and training to use any weapons. There are currently no plans for one nation to use weapons bought by another.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether gun safety indicators will be fitted to the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. [141979]

Mr. Ingram

We currently have no requirement for Typhoon to be armed with a gun. For overall armament safety there is a Remote Position Indicator for the Master Armament Safety Switch (MASS), which removes power from all the armament systems on the aircraft, and confirms to the groundcrew, before they approach the aircraft, that the MASS has been set to safe.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the speed limitations caused by the external carriage of weapons on the Eurofighter Typhoon; and whether the merits of an internal weapons bay in this respect have been assessed. [141980]

Mr. Ingram

Assessments have been carried out to determine the flight limitations necessitated by the thermal effects of high-speed carriage of weapons on the Eurofighter Typhoon. The merits of an internal weapons bay were assessed during the early design phase of the aircraft. However, this arrangement was rejected because the aircraft was designed primarily for the air superiority role where the rapid availability of weapons mounted on external pylons offers greater operational advantage.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the weapons suspension points on the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft will be compatible with Military Standard 1760; and if he will make a statement. [141982]

Mr. Ingram

All the weapons suspension points on the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon will be compatible with Military Standard 1760.

Norman Lamb

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a competition process is intended between bidders for a mid-life update to the RAF's Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [141983]

Mr. Ingram

Typhoon's incremental acquisition strategy means that enhancements to the aircraft's capabilities will be incorporated progressively after its initial entry into service. It is too early in the Typhoon programme to consider whether a formal mid-life update for the aircraft might be needed or how it might best be achieved.