HC Deb 26 February 2002 vol 380 cc1139-40W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what involvement his Department has had with the development of unmanned aircraft; with which partner countries; how much has been spent in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [36952]

Dr. Moonie

The Phoenix system, the Ministry of Defence only in-service unmanned air vehicle (UAV), entered service in 1998. Development of future UAV capability is being pursued through two projects: "Watchkeeper", which is planned to deliver a tactical UAV towards the end of this decade; and the Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) programme, where we are assessing the feasiblity of UAVs contributing to our future strike capability from about 2020 onwards.

The MOD's expenditure on UAV development over the last three years was approximately £9 million in 1999–2000, £17 million in 2000–01, and £18 million in 2001–02. This does not include the cost of broader-based research, which could bring benefit in due course to a range of capability areas including UAVs.

To date, our UAV development work has been conducted on a national basis. However, we have recently initiated information exchanges with the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Australia in order to support our mutual interests in UAV development, acquisition, and operation.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the(a) organic air vehicle and (b) micro air vehicle development in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [36951]

Dr. Moonie

I assume the hon. Member is referring to unmanned aerial vehicles and that the term organic air vehicles relates to small UAVs developed as an integral part of a military platform. Against this common understanding, there has been no expenditure by the Ministry of Defence specifically on the development of organic or micro air vehicles in the last three years. There are elements of the research programme that may in the longer term prove applicable to organic or micro air vehicles but no specific apportionment of expenditure is possible.