HC Deb 24 March 2004 vol 419 c853W
Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask t re Secretary of State for Defence with what(a) short range air-to-air, (b) beyond-visual-range air-to-air, (c) precision anti-armour and (d) other stand-off weapons the Future Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) will be equipped; and for what reasons the requirement for (A) advanced short range air-to-air missiles and (B) Brimstone systems was removed from the JCA programme. [162643]

Mr. Ingram

No final decisions have been taken on the weapons fit for the Joint Combat Aircraft, beyond the requirement that it will have a precision bombing capability and an air to air capability when it enters service.

Weapons systems that we are considering integrating on JCA as the requirement evolves include:

  • Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile
  • Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile
  • Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (Meteor)
  • Paveway IV
  • Storm Shadow
  • Brimstone

Our considerations will cover which weapons should be carried internally and which should be carried externally on JCA. Under current plans, it is not considered cost or operationally effective for JCA to carry ASRAAM and Brimstone externally, but the internal carriage of these weapons remains an option.