§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel within the DPA are employed on sonarbuoy procurement; how many DPA personnel have been employed on sonarbuoy procurement for(a) three to five years, (b) five to seven years and (c) greater than seven years; and if he will make a statement. [150286]
§ Dr. MoonieThere are currently five personnel working full time on sonarbuoy procurement within the DPA. Of these, one has done so for over seven years (although not consecutive years) and the others each for less than three years. They are supported by a number of other colleagues from various functions on an occasional basis.
564W
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the price is of(a) UK and (b) US Navy passive sonarbuoys and (i) UK and (ii) US Navy sonarbuoys; and if he will make a statement. [150289]
§ Dr. MoonieThe prices paid by the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) for UK sonarbuoys are commercially confidential and are withheld under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Price information on US Navy sonarbuoys has been provided to the DPA on the basis that its confidentiality would be protected. Consequently, this information is withheld under the same exemption.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for incorporating an SR3 ASSS capability in(a) RN helicopters and (b) VAV's; and if he will make a statement. [150287]
§ Dr. MoonieThere are no current plans to incorporate SR(SA)903 Active Search Sonarbuoy System on RN helicopters or Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV).
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how interoperability aspects for SR903 are to be managed with(a) US forces and (b) European forces; and if he will make a statement. [150290]
§ Dr. MoonieThere is no requirement for the Active Search Sonarbuoy System (ASSS) to be interoperable with US or European forces, though SR(SA)903 ASSS will conform with NATO standards, thereby offering future potential for systems interoperability.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current procurement strategy for SR903 Active Search Sonarbuoy System; for what reasons this has changed; and if he will make a statement. [150283]
§ Dr. MoonieBAE, Systems is the Prime Contractor for the Nimrod MRA4 and the SR(SA)903 Active Search Sonarbuoy System (ASSS) Risk Reduction Programme. The original strategy for the ASSS programme included a sub-contract competition between two consortia for the next phase of the ASSS programme, to fully develop and integrate the system into the Nimrod MRA4. Thomson Marconi Sonar Ltd.(TMSL) led one of the Consortia, with Ultra Electronics Limited leading the other. Subsequently TMSL advised my Department that, though they would complete their contracted activity during the Risk Reduction Phase, they did not intend to bid into the next, Demonstration and Manufacture, phase of the project. The Defence Procurement Agency is working with BAE Systems to review options and develop a proposal for the SR(SA)903 Demonstration and Manufacture phase.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding has been allocated for the acquisition programme for SR903; when he expects an operational capability to be available; what target was set for SR903 during the renegotiation of the MRA4 Nimrod programme; and if he will make a statement. [150288]
§ Dr. MoonieA contract for the Demonstration and Manufacture phase to meet SR(SA) 903 Active Search Sonarbuoy System (ASSS) has yet to be awarded. Consequently, the funding allocation is withheld under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. ASSS performance targets are classified and are withheld under Exemption 1 of the 565W Code of Practice on Access to Government information. Renegotiation of the Nimrod MRA4 contract included an option to provide an ASSS capability at the Nimrod MRA4 ISD, contracted for March 2005.