§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for(a) development of auxiliary amphibious warfare vessels and (b) developing a tactical air-to-surface missile; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenWe intend to refurbish the Navy's three older landing ships logistic to enable them to continue in service into the next century. On current plans we expect work on the programme to begin in the summer of 1993.
We are continuing to study a range of options for the eventual replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb. No decision has yet been taken.