§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the(a) total budget and (b) budget timetable for the Future Rapid Effect System programme. [188783]
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§ Mr. IngramThe full Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) programme cost has yet to be established, but the provision for acquisition could be in the region of £6 billion. Whole life costs are estimated at £49 billion. FRES is in the early stages of its Assessment Phase, during which a range of options to meet the requirement will be considered. Once we are clearer as to the options available we can better determine the funding profile.
§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which other countries will be part of the Future Rapid Effect System programme; and whether it will be compatible with the equivalent US system. [188784]
§ Mr. IngramThe Future Rapid Effect System is expected to support joint operations with NATO allies. Co-operation during the Assessment Phase is likely to focus on harmonising requirements for interoperability in support of coalition operations and mitigating common areas of technology risk. However, opportunities for collaborating on sub-systems and sharing information on technologies and requirements will be explored during the Assessment Phase, and the scope for future collaboration assessed prior to the Main Gate investment decision.
§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which present and future vehicles will carry the Future Rapid Effects System. [188785]
§ Mr. IngramThe Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) will not be carried on present and future vehicles. FRES is the generic name for the capability being sought to enhance the deployability of Land Forces. It is anticipated that the capability will be provided by a family of medium-weight, networked armoured vehicles. Concurrently, FRES will replace the CVR(T) series, Saxon and elements of the existing FV430 series.
§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Future Rapid Effect System will be operational without other countries providing spares or holding necessary hardware. [188786]
§ Mr. IngramAs laid down in our Defence Industrial Policy, we are firmly committed to promoting a strong and competitive UK defence manufacturing industry. Our policy enables us to evaluate industrial capabilities and take decisions on whether there is a need to retain these in the UK against defined criteria. This will be one factor taken into account as part of the main investment decision.
§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Future Rapid Effect System will be operational by 2010. [188787]
§ Mr. IngramThe Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) has recently achieved Initial Gate approval, and is now in its Assessment Phase. Part of this Assessment Phase work will be to identify and reduce risk in the programme to enable us to define an appropriate In-Service Date (ISD) in both capability and programme terms for endorsement at Main Gate. The ISD will not be formally endorsed until then, but our initial planning assumption is to introduce the early variants of FRES around the end of the decade, with a phased approach to achieving full operational capability.
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§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what international peacekeeping and stability roles the Future Rapid Effect System will have; and what role it will have in post conflict reconstruction. [188788]
§ Mr. IngramThe Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) will be the central pillar of a capable, coherent and highly deployable medium force with broad utility across the spectrum of operations. It is envisaged that its wide operational utility and its ability to deploy rapidly will enhance the UK's ability to contribute to appropriate peacekeeping, stability and post conflict resolution operations.
§ Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected cost is of each Future Rapid Effect System unit. [188789]
§ Mr. IngramThe Future Rapid Effect System Project is in the early stages of its Assessment Phase; it is therefore too early to determine the unit cost. Part of the Assessment work will focus on developing a series of affordable options for meeting the requirement.