§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the RAF will take delivery of its Eurofighter aircraft. [35647]
§ Dr. MoonieThe RAF is expecting to receive its first Eurofighter aircraft in June this year. Given the inherent risks in a programme of this size and complexity, we have sought confirmation from industry that the programme remains achievable.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects training of pilots and ground crew to fly and service the Eurofighter to begin; and if he will make a statement. [37660]
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§ Dr. MoonieOn current plans ground crew training will begin in September 2002. Aircrew ground-based training will commence in May 2002. Flying training in Eurofighter will commence when aircraft are available. Deliveries are due to commence in June but we recognise the risks to this date and our planning is sufficiently flexible to accommodate delay if necessary.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated final cost is of the 232 Eurofighters that have been ordered; and if he will make a statement. [37666]
§ Dr. MoonieThe estimated final cost of the Eurofighter procurement programme for the Royal Air Force, based on 232 aircraft, is £18,869 million. This figure excludes initial in-service support. Fifty-five aircraft have so far been ordered for the RAF. Detailed costings are provided in the National Audit Office's Major Project Report 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much is being withheld on the Eurofighter contract; when his Department expects the money to be released to the contractor; and if he will make a statement. [37667]
§ Dr. MooniePayments on Eurofighter contracts are made when milestones are achieved. Some milestones are overdue, but the value of payments relating to those milestones is commercially sensitive. Therefore, I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information that relates to third party commercial confidences.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Eurofighter programme agreed milestones, from development to in-service at full squadron strength; and if he will make a statement. [37668]
§ Dr. MoonieThe main development contracts were placed in 1988 and the first development aircraft flight took place in 1994. In 1995, the contracts were re-orientated following the end of the Cold War, and the production contracts were awarded in 1998. The next major milestone will be the first flight of an instrumented production aircraft, trials of which will permit acceptance into service of series production aircraft. Royal Air Force Eurofighters will initially operate from the BAES site at Warton before the first squadron forms at RAF Coningsby in 2004. Full operational capability is expected to be achieved during the second half of the decade.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Ministers were first informed of problems relating to foreign suppliers with regard to the Eurofighter programme; what action was taken; and if he will make a statement. [37659]
§ Dr. MoonieEurofighter is a collaborative project involving many companies from all four partner nations. The Eurofighter prime contracts are with international industrial consortiums based in Germany. In working with the prime contractors to resolve problems we do not distinguish between UK and non-UK suppliers.
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§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the contract penalties to the prime contractor are relating to the missing of development and contractual milestones in respect of the Eurofighter programme; and if he will make a statement. [37665]
§ Dr. MoonieEurofighter contract payments are subject to the achievement of milestones, and liquidated damages apply if aircraft deliveries are delayed. The amounts involved are commercially sensitive and I am withholdng this information in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information that relates to third party commercial confidences.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has made in the event that the Eurofighter programme is delayed; and if he will make a statement. [37664]
§ Dr. MoonieEurofighter is not expected to begin displacing existing front line aircraft for some time. If the build-up of Eurofighter capability is delayed, there is scope for existing aircraft to continue in service.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefings by his Department's staff have been given to hon. Members on the Eurofighter programme in the last six months; which hon. Members have been sent briefings; when the briefings were sent out; and if he will make a statement. [37670]
§ Dr. MoonieThe hon. Members for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) and for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) received oral briefings as part of a visit to the Royal Air Force at High Wycombe on 13 December 2001. The briefings were wide ranging and included references to Eurofighter.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when his Department was first informed of delays to the Eurofighter programme; and if he will make a statement; [37661]
(2) what ministerial action was taken once his Department was informed of the delays to the Eurofighter programme; when it was taken; and if he will make a statement. [37662]
§ Dr. MoonieThe prime contractors have not formally advised the Ministry of Defence that delivery of the first Eurofighter to the Royal Air Force will be delayed. Nevertheless, we know through our continuous monitoring of industry's progress that achieving the June in-service date is becoming increasingly challenging. The risk of delay is not unusual in a project of this size and complexity, but we have made it clear that we expect the prime contractors to take all necessary action to mitigate this risk.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost to his Department of expenditure on the Eurofighter programme has been to date; and if he will make a statement. [37663]
§ Dr. MoonieExpenditure to the end of January 2002 totalled £6,300 million.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what variations have been made since the contract for the Eurofighter programme was first signed; and if he will make a statement. [37669]
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§ Dr. MoonieThere have been no significant variations to the Eurofighter aircraft specification or contracts since re-orientation of the programme in 1995 to take account of the changed strategic context following the end of the cold war.
§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if BAE Systems face penalty payments in connection with the Eurofighter programme. [37167]
§ Dr. MoonieThe prime contract for Eurofighter, which is with Eurofighter GmbH of which BAE Systems own 33 per cent., includes provision for liquidated damages to be paid in the event that deliveries are delayed. In addition, payments on the contract are made only when milestones and deliveries are achieved.
§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what arrangements will be followed to introduce the Eurofighter into RAF service; and if he will make a statement; [37164]
(2) if he will make a statement on the timetable of events which will lead to the introduction into service of the Eurofighter Typhoon. [37165]
§ Dr. MoonieInstrumented production aircraft flights, which provide technical information on performance and safety, are expected to commence in March and will allow the first series production aircraft to be accepted and operated by the Royal Air Force. Arrangements for the introduction to service include the setting up of facilities at BAES's Warton site to support operation of the aircraft during its initial months in service, and the establishment of a Royal Air Force unit at Warton for initial training and operational evaluation. Thereafter, Royal Air Force units will be established at Coningsby in 2004, followed by Leeming and Leuchars. Full operational employment of the aircraft is planned to take place during the second half of the decade.
§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the projected in-service dates for the Eurofighter will be achieved; [37166]
(2) if he expects delays to the in-service date for the Eurofighter; and if he will make a statement. [37168]
§ Dr. MoonieIndustry is working hard to achieve the June 2002 delivery date called for in the contract, and we continue to emphasise its importance. Nevertheless, we know through our continuous monitoring of industry's progress that achieving the June in-service date is becoming increasingly challenging.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the cost of Eurofighter has increased; and if he will make a statement. [37691]
§ Dr. MoonieI refer my hon. Friend to the detailed explanation of cost changes on the Eurofighter programme that was included in the National Audit Office's Major Project Report 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.