§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what timetable has been set for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration and Thomson Racal Defence to assess the requirements of the Soothsayer integrated electronic warfare system; and if he will make a statement; [134256]
131W(2) which companies bid for the contract for the Soothsayer electronic warfare programme other than Lockheed Martin Systems Integration and Oswego and Thomson Racal Defence; and if he will make a statement; [134254]
(3) when the electronic warfare management information system included in Soothsayer will be completed; at what cost to the programme; and if he will make a statement; [134252]
(4) what assessment he has made of the cost efficiency of (a) the Soothsayer electronic warfare system and (b) the stand-alone systems currently deployed in the British Army and Royal Marines; and if he will make a statement. [134253]
§ Dr. MoonieThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 25 October 2000:
I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning Soothsayer.You asked when the Management Information System (MIS) for Soothsayer would be completed. Lockheed Martin System Integration and Thomson Racal Defence are undertaking studies that will help establish proposed schedules and the cost to completion, of the electronic warfare MIS included in Soothsayer as part of the ongoing Assessment Phase. A Soothsayer capability will be delivered into service in 2006. However, to keep pace with changing operational needs a programme of continuous evolution of the MIS software is planned beyond initial delivery. Initial project costings established during the Concept Studies prior to Initial Gate will be validated by the Assessment Phase studies to support the forthcoming Main Gate approval, but the total costs for Soothsayer procurement and initial support are estimated at this stage to be in the order of £170M at 1999/00 economic conditions. It will be for the contractors to cost MIS elements as part of their overall bids for the demonstration and production phase contracts at Main Gate. The expected costs of the programme will be firmed up at that point.You asked about the cost efficiency of the system. In accordance with Smart Acquisition guidelines the expected cost effectiveness of the Soothsayer electronic warfare system was assessed as part of the Initial Gate business case approved in Aug 00. This report also assessed the cost effectiveness of standalone systems currently deployed in the British Army and Royal Marines. As part of the Assessment Phase the cost effectiveness of Soothsayer and its alternatives will be continually monitored to inform the Main Gate submission.Bids for the Soothsayer electronic warfare programme Assessment Phase were received from Lockheed Martin Systems Integration (Owego, NY,USA), Thomson Racal Defence (Bracknell, UK) and Raytheon Systems (Falls Church, Virginia, USA). Raytheon were teamed with BAe Defence Systems, (Christchurch, UK) and Alenia Marconi Systems, (Frimley, UK).You asked for the timetable for assessment. In line with Smart Acquisition practice the requirements for the Soothsayer integrated electronic warfare system will be assessed in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Systems Integration and Thomson Racal Defence during the ongoing Assessment Phase (August 00 to August 02) leading to a Main Gate decision in 2002.