Aircraft Carriers (Hansard, 16 September 2003)

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the CVF 701W programme; and how work will be shared between Thales and BAe Systems. [127121]

§ Mr. Ingram
The CVF Programme is still in the Assessment Phase and we expect to award the Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) contract in spring 2004, as planned. Discussions on how work will be shared between the companies are progressing well as part of the negotiations on the alliance arrangements. Final arrangements will be confirmed with the award of the D&M contract next year.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions with the defence manufacturers have taken place on reducing the(a) size of the aircraft carriers and (b) number of aircraft carried; and if he will make a statement on how such changes affect power projection. [128075]

§ Mr. Ingram
Regular discussions occur between the future carrier (CVF) project team, BAeSystems and Thales United Kingdom as part of the routine business of the Assessment Phase. This phase is intended to reduce risk in emerging design solutions and balance the key parameters of performance, time and cost in order to best meet our developing capability requirements, both in terms of the ships themselves and in the aircraft they will operate. Power projection is a fundamental part of this capability requirement.
The CVF programme is currently midway through this assessment phase. The key specifications in capability terms will be determined prior to the award of the Demonstration and Manufacture contract, currently planned for spring 2004.

§ Mr. Wray
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that the full sized carriers will be procured for the Royal Navy as originally intended; and what plans he has to ensure that the in-service date is kept. [128076]

§ Mr. Ingram
In the Strategic Defence Review published in 1998, it was envisaged that the two new Future Aircraft Carriers would be in the order of 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes and be capable of carrying up to 50 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The intention, as with any other new equipment project, has always been to refine the design during the Assessment Phase in order to best meet our developing capability requirements. The Carrier programme is currently in this assessment phase. The key specifications in capability terms will be determined prior to the award of the Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) contract, currently planned for spring 2004.
Our target in-service dates for the two carriers remain 2012 and 2015 respectively.