§ Sir Eldon GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects each of the seven Boeing AWACS aircraft ordered in place of Nimrod AEW, to be available for active service in the Royal Air Force; to what extent these anticipated in-service dates differ from those originally promised and announced; and if the delivery and technical performance of the various auxiliary systems that Boeing is purchasing from its subcontractors are now guaranteed.
§ Mr. SainsburyAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced to the House on 18 December 1986, at column 1352, the AWACS aircraft will618W be delivered into RAF service starting in 1991. Since that announcement there has been no slippage in the anticipated in-service dates.
The delivery and technical performance of the various auxiliary systems that Boeing is purchasing from its subcontractors form part of Boeing's overall contractual commitment to deliver complete AWACS aircraft meeting our performance requirements. The programme is currently on schedule with no major technical problems.