§ Rear-Admiral Morgan Gilesasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has now completed his feasibility study of a multi-rôle combat aircraft; and whether it will have a maritime capability.
§ Mr. HealeyI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given earlier today to the hon. Members for Cheltenham (Mr. Dodds-Parker) and Bolton, East (Mr. Robert Howarth). The need for new maritime aircraft will not arise for some considerable time. But we certainly hope that the multi-rôle combat aircraft—as its name implies—would have a capability for maritime operations.