07 Jul 14. Defence Committee – Publication of Government Response. The Defence Committee published the following Special Report on July 7th at 11 am.
* Afghanistan—Camp Bastion Attack: Government Response to the Committee’s Thirteenth Report of Session 2013-14: Second Special Report, HC 526
The Report will be on the Committee’s website, www.parliament.uk/defcom from 11 am
10 Jul 14. The Defence Committee published the following Special Report on Friday 11 July at 11 am. UK Armed Forces Personnel and the Legal Framework for Future Operations: Government Response to the Committee’s Twelfth Report of Session 2013–14: Third Special Report, HC 548
House of Commons Written Answers 10 July 2014
C17 Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the extension of the C-17 Globemaster III sustainment package contract; and for how long that contract will run. [204369]
Mr Dunne: The C-17 aircraft sustainment package is a contract between the United States Government and the Boeing Corporation. Through the Foreign Military Sales programme, the United Kingdom utilises this contract to support our fleet of eight C-17 aircraft. The United States Government has agreed to extend our participation in the contract for a further three years at an estimated cost of up to $250 million.
Military Aircraft: Helicopters
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in implementing the requirement set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, for 50 attack helicopters until 2030; whether any delays have been caused by the subsequent decision to extend this requirement until 2040; what estimate he has made of when the present Apache fleet will become obsolete, unless modernised; and if he will make a statement. [203176]
Mr Dunne [holding answer 7 July 2014]: The Apache attack helicopter forms a key component of the UK Army’s future force structures and it has a planned out of service date of around 2040. No delays have resulted from the decision taken in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review to extend this out of service date from 2030.
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it will be possible for his Department to acquire any modernised, Block III Apache helicopters before the end of 2019, unless a decision is made on which contracting route to follow before the end of 2014; what progress has been made in assessing whether to proceed through (a) a government-to-government off-the-shelf purchase and (b) a purchase directly from industry in the UK; and whether any such decision will be taken before the 2015 General Election. [203177]
Mr Dunne: The UK’s Apache AH Mk1 is a modified US AH-64D Block 1. The Department is considering a number of options to sustain the future Attack Helicopter capability. These options are cognisant of the plans of the US Army and other international Apache users who are moving to the Apache AH64E standard. No decision has yet been taken on the preferred option or procurement strategy.
Tornado Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration was given to purchasing the RAIDS Collision Warning System software options after difficulties were encountered with the bespoke Collision Warning System. [203691]
Mr Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 May 2014, Official Report, column 168W.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the implementation of the tested bespoke Collision Warning System proposed by the Director of Operations Requirements (Air) in August 1998 was cancelled. [203692]
Mr Dunne: The requirement for a collision warning system was not cancelled. The development of a bespoke fast-jet to fast-jet collision warning system was halted because of a change in the requirement and the technical challenges experienced during the Assessment Phase. Th