§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Lancer reconnaissance integrated technology system is expected to replace the reconnaissance vehicles in service in the UK military; and if he will make a statement. [70056]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Lancer integrated demonstrator vehicle was one of two developed under the assessment phase of the joint UK/US Tracer programme. This vehicle is undergoing a series of user trials to demonstrate the technical maturity and military utility of a number of key armoured vehicle technologies.
Although the participating nations decided, jointly, to terminate the Tracer programme at the end of the assessment phase, we expect to be able to apply some of the key technologies to future equipment programmes, in particular the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES) programme, which is due to enter service around the end of the decade.