§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Future Short and Very Short Range Air Defence Systems; and if he will list the project milestones. [68511]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Future Very Short and Short Range Air Defence Missile System is intended to succeed the Rapier and High Velocity Missile systems. Feasibility Studies have been carried out under an 8 nation Memorandum of Understanding, for which UK is the pilot nation. On current plans, future studies will be conducted prior to approval of the Assessment phase, which will be sought in 2001. Approval for the Demonstration and Production phase is planned for 2006.