§ 62. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence on what evidence he bases his estimate that research and development on Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft will cost £200 million, and that unit cost will be £1.5 million, in the light of the fact that no precise estimates of development costs can be made until a project definition study is completed.
§ Mr. HealeyI am not prepared to confirm the precise figures used by my hon. Friend. Although precise estimates must await completion of the project studies, our current cost estimates are based on the extensive studies already carried out by the firms and on detailed parametric studies of other related aircraft of which we have considerable experience. The scrutiny of costs has been more thorough than for any other project at a comparable stage.
§ 63. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he ceased to maintain the concept of a datum aircraft in relation to the Anglo-French variable geometry concept.
§ Mr. HealeyI have no intention of abandoning this concept.
§ Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what orders have been obtained or are anticipated from Germany and other countries for the projected Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft.
§ Mr. HealeyIt is too early yet to expect firm orders from other countries but we and the French are taking all possible steps to ensure that prospective customers know of our plans and what we will be able to offer. Join Anglo-French teams have visited Germany and Holland to discuss their possible operational requirements and the chief of the German Air Staff has visited the U.K. to learn more of the aircraft.
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§ Rear-Admiral Morgan Gilesasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Anglo-French variable-geometry aircraft will be able to operate from the decks of United States aircraft carriers.
§ Mr. HealeySo long as the French maintain a requirement for a carrier-borne aircraft, that version of the A.F.V.G. aircraft will be able to operate from the decks of aircraft carriers. The British version is not designed to have this capability.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the £1.5 million unit cost of the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft includes an allowance for monetary inflation between now and 1974;
(2) whether the £200 million figure for research and development cost of the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft includes an allowance for monetary inflation between now and 1974.
§ Mr. HealeyI am not prepared to confirm the precise figures used for this particular project, but all our forward cost estimates are based on the level of prices current at the time they are made.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of upgrading the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft from a mach 2.2 aircraft to a mach 2.5 aircraft;
(2) what estimate he has made of the extra weight of titanium needed to convert the projected mach 2.2 Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft into a projected mach 2.5 Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft; which parts of the aircraft in addition to windscreen and air-intakes would have for heat reasons to be coated with titanium; and what would be the cost of such an alteration.
§ Mr. HealeyAs part of the process of determining the most cost effective aircraft officials have been considering at French request the implications of incorporating a high speed/capability beyond that called for by the operational requirement. Studies so far show that the modifications for achieving this would be expensive. We are in no way committed to adopt them.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what experience he has 187W bought from the United States of America in the technical problems of operating a U2 above 80,000 feet, relevant to the Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft project; and what was the cost of such an agreement.
§ Mr. HealeyThe Answer to the first part of the Question is "None"; the second part does not arise.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the French Government on the operational requirements of an Anglo-French variable geometry aircraft.
§ Mr. HealeyI would refer to the Answer I gave this afternoon to a related Question by the hon. Member for St. Albans (Mr. Goodhew).