Collaborative Procurement Programmes (Hansard, 19 June 2000)

§ Dr. Moonie

This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Robert Key, dated 19 June 2000: I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence on the collaborative TRACER/FSCS and the US FCS programmes. These matters fall within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. On the future of the TRACER/FSCS collaborative programme, I can confirm that the United Kingdom requirement for a replacement armoured reconnaissance vehicle to form part of the UK's overall battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance capability remains extant. The current phase of the programme is of 42 months duration and is scheduled for completion in July 02. The programme is proceeding to schedule and both participating Governments are pleased with progress to date. In parallel, studies are being conducted to examine the potential use of unmanned air vehicles. The outcome of these studies will be used to inform the UK decision on the optimum mix of platforms, technology and sensors and the role that TRACER would play in the Army's future battlefield information gathering system. Any decision to proceed to the next project phase will be the subject of future national approvals. A feature of defence procurement is the need to accommodate new, sophisticated systems within the resources expected to be available. Competing demands on available resources inevitably lead to priorities being kept under review. The current budgetary review process in the US, which could have implications for the TRACER programme, is being closely monitored. We are in regular contact with the US DoD on this and their FCS programme. It would be premature at this stage to speculate on the prospect of UK involvement in the FCS programme.