§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of each(a) Typhoon, (b) joint strike fighter, (c) A200M and (d) advanced jet trainer. [156132]
§ Mr. IngramUnit production costs (UPC) for major equipment programmes, such as Typhoon, where these are practical to construct, can be found within the information given in the Ministry of Defence Major Projects Report (MPR). Those figures are estimated in accordance to methodology agreed with the National Audit Office (NAO). The NAO published their report on MPR 2003 on 23 January 2004 and copies are available in the Library of the House.
The cost per unit of Typhoon as stated in MPR 2003 is £56.8 million.
The unit production cost for the Joint Strike Fighter will not be agreed until after the completion of the current negotiations on the Production and Sustainment Phase Memorandum of Understanding. However, the estimated UPC of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft is around $50 million on current planning assumptions.
At part (c) of his question I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to A400M. The current forecast cost of the UK programme is £2356 million. I am withholding the unit price information in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice access to Government Information, which relates to third party commercial confidences.
The cost of each Advanced Jet Trainer will not be known until contractual negotiations with BAE Systems have been concluded. It should be noted that unit production costs are on a resource account basis and exclude development costs.