§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of plans to replace the remaining Chieftains in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation project; and if he is satisfied with the programme of replacement, bearing in mind that the April 1981 "Statement on the Defence Estimates" involved replacing only half the existing Chieftains in the British Army of the Rhine and that these have been in service since the 1960s.
§ Mr. PattieThe planned buy of sufficient Challengers to equip four armoured regiments will lead to a significant qualitative and quantitative improvement in BAOR's armoured capability from the mid-1980s. The retention of the replaced Chieftains will make it possible to deploy more tanks in war. There will also be a programme of qualitative improvements both to the present Chieftain and, in due course, Challenger, including a new thermal imaging sight, gun and improved ammunition.