IUKADGE (Hansard, 7 July 1989)

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide his latest estimate for the total cost of the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment when completed.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
The estimated cost of the complete IUKADGE programme at current prices is £500 million.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the current IUKADGE/ICCS will be able to fully integrate the RAF's link 16 requirement; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
All the indications to date suggest that it will be possible to achieve full integration of link 16 into IUKADGE to meet the RAF's requirements.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department had about the possibility of purchasing intellectual property rights associated with the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment; and if he will summarise the details of these discussions including the price asked for those rights by their current holders.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
It is not our practice to reveal details of commercially confidential negotiations.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current assumption of the date upon which the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment will be fully operational in service.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
We expect that the IUKADGE will be fully operational in the early 1990s.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the likely annual software maintenance costs in relation to IUKADGE.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
The latest estimate of the likely annual software maintenance cost of IUKADGE, when the system is fully operational, is £5 million to £6 million. Much of the maintenance of this software will be carried out by the Royal Air Force using in-service resources.

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any decision has been made to go ahead with either TRIAD or a deep integration solution in respect of IUKADGE-ICCS; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
Studies into alternative ways of integrating new data-link systems into IUKADGE are not yet complete. Once the final results have been received they will require extensive evaluation before decisions can be taken.
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§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) the Hughes Corporation, (b) Plessey, (c) Marconi, (d) IUKADGE Systems Ltd. or (e) any other private interest retains intellectual property rights in connection with IUKADGE; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
Information concerning ownership of IPR associated with IUKADGE is commercially confidential.