§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the decision was taken to divert aircraft off the Royal Air Force Tornado production line in order to meet orders from Saudi Arabia and Oman; and what has been the impact on the timing of deliveries of Tornado aircraft to the Royal Air Force of these changes.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 14 June 1989]: Details of the decision to divert a small number of Tornado aircraft to meet orders from Saudi Arabia were announced during the RAF debate on 26 February 1986 at column 960. As the House has been informed, the diversion will have a temporary effect on the build up of the RAF's Tornado force.
Port Ship Type Dates Thurso McCoy Frigate 13 to 15 July 1987 Leith Capondanno Frigate 25 to 28 September 1987 Portsmouth Augusta Submarine 19 to 22 February 1988 Portsmouth Mendel Rivers Submarine 22 to 25 April 1988 Plymouth Portland Dock Landing Ship 13 to 15 June 1988 Glasgow Portland Dock Landing Ship 17 to 21 June 1988 Leith Portland Dock Landing Ship 30 June to 6 July 1988 Portsmouth Mississippi Cruiser 4 to 7 July 1988 Loch Ewe King Destroyer 5 to 6 July 1988 Portsmouth Se Morrison Frigate 7 to 12 July 1988 Leith Elrod Frigate 11 to 15 August 1988 Faslane Baton Rouge Submarine 12 to 15 August 1988 Liverpool Elrod Frigate 2 to 6 September 1988 Scapa Flow Puget Sound Destroyer Tender 8 to 10 September 1988 Portsmouth Ly Spear Submarine Tender 16 to 22 September 1988 Portsmouth Semmes Destroyer 23 to 27 September 1988 Portsmouth Forrestal Aircraft Carrier 24 to 27 September 1988 Newcastle Portland Dock Landing Ship 28 September to 2 October 1988 Newport Annapolis Frigate 30 September to 2 October 1988 Portsmouth Mt Whitney Amphib Command Ship 2 to 6 October 1988 Leith Grapple Salvage Ship 8 to 13 October 1988 Rosyth Hayler Destroyer 25 October to 2 November 1988 Faslane Phoenix Submarine 1 to 9 November 1988 Portsmouth Alberquerque Submarine 3 to 8 February 1989 Southampton Dahlgren Destroyer 19 to 22 March 1989 Plymouth Hayler Destroyer 19 to 22 March 1989 Fairlie Mclnery Destroyer 16 to 18 April 1989 Portsmouth Preble Destroyer 19 to 23 May 1989