§ 64. Sir J. Edenasked the Minister of Aviation what alterations will have to be made to the Phantom before it will be acceptable for use on carriers of the Royal Navy; by how much these alterations will increase the cost of each aircraft; when he expects them to be in service; and if, following his recent visit to the United States of America, he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AmeryI have now had the opportunity of discussing the Phantom aircraft with both the manufacturers and the United States Navy. Certain changes180W in the existing aircraft are proposed by the United States Navy for their own purposes and we should require these for operation from British carriers. I expect further information about the feasibility of these charges in four or five months' time, following detailed evaluation by the United States Navy. In addition it will be necessary to replace the existing engines by Rolls Royce Spey engines and this will call for certain modifications to the airframe. Deliveries of the Royal Naval version of the Phantom are expected to start in the late 1960s. and extend over two or three years. It is not the practice to disclose details of the costs involved in a project such as this. In any case the estimates we have are still only provisional.