HC Deb 02 July 1987 vol 118 c164W
Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the findings of the investigation comparing attack helicopters with tanks in the anti-tank rôle.

Mr. Sainsbury

Project Foresight, which commenced in 1981, is part of a continuing series of studies aimed at maintaining the most effective balance of weapons systems within the central region of Europe. The most recent study examined the relative cost-effectiveness of a number of anti-armour weapon systems. It concluded that the future mix of weapons should be derived from a broad-based investment strategy, in which a place should he found both for a light attack helicopter equipped with a long range anti-tank weapon, and for a main battle tank: the details of the study are classified. Its conclusions will be taken into account in our future decision-making in the normal way.