Maritime Patrol Aircraft

HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc112-3W

Mr. Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about his plans for replacing the current maritime patrol aircraft.

Mr. Freeman

The Ministry of Defence has invited four potential prime contractors to bid for the supply of a maritime patrol aircraft to replace the Nimrod early next century. The four contractors are British Aerospace, Dassault, Lockheed and Loral ASIC. I expect a contract to be let with the winner of this international competition in the late summer of 1996.