HL Deb 30 October 1995 vol 566 c149WA
Lord Craig of Radley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to acquire F-16C fighter aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe)

No. My department is currently examining proposals to upgrade the weapon systems of the Tornado F3 air defence fighter. As a routine part of our evaluation procedure, we are comparing the costs and operational effectiveness of this option with various alternatives, including procurement or leasing of F-16s. A decision will be made as quickly as possible on whether to proceed with the Tornado F3 upgrade.