APPENDIX 2
Letter from the Minister of State for
Defence Procurement (10 April 2001)
I am writing to inform you that, later today,
Geoff Hoon will be answering a Parliamentary Question, regarding
the progress of the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM)
towards its in-service date (ISD) of April 2001.
ASRAAM is a fast, highly agile, fire-and-forget
missile for short range air-to-air combat, to be fitted to the
Tornado F3, Harrier GR9, Sea Harrier FA2 and, eventually, to Eurofighter.
However, the prime contractor, Matra BAe Dynamics (UK) Ltd (MBD)
has not yet achieved the missile performance level required by
the Department. The company has encountered a number of technical
problems, which have caused some delay to the programme and mean
that ISD will not be achieved.
Whilst MBD has continued their efforts to improve
the missile performance, the Department believes that the performance
currently offered is still unacceptable, and is not prepared to
take delivery of any missiles until MBD can show that an acceptable
standard can be met.
Our new Smart Acquisition policy means tackling
problems like this head-on, and we are working closely with MBD
to resolve the problems. We are seeking to agree a credible and
robust programme that will achieve the required level of performance,
even if this means changing the current design and takes some
time to implement. Only when there is confidence that there exists
a robust incremental route to full operational capability might
the Department accept limited numbers of missiles to an interim
standard for ISD, in line with incremental Smart Acquisition principles.
The aim is to ensure that MBD devise the necessary solutions to
identify a clear route to full capability, which would then enable
a new in-service date to be set. This route map should be agreed
with the company during the summer. It is therefore not possible
to define a new ISD at this stage, but I will keep you informed
of our progress.
We are also determined to draw the lessons from
this programme when we sign the contract for Meteor, the new Beyond
Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile for Eurofighter, which will also
be built by MBD, to ensure that they deliver the standard missile
we require when we need it. As the Secretary of State announced
last year, the Meteor contract will include a series of key technological
milestones, failure to achieve any of which may lead to the termination
of the contract with all money being returned to the partners.
A taut contract for Meteor, including the requirement to demonstrate
that these milestones are achieved, will ensure that any performance
shortfalls will be identified and tackled during the development
programme.
ASRAAM uses advanced, cutting-edge technology
which inevitably carries risk, and delivering the high standard
of capability required is a tough challenge for MBD. Many UK jobs
depend on this type of advanced technology: 4,000 in the case
of ASRAAM and 1,200 for Meteor. If the UK is to retain its leading
role in this area, it is important for companies like MBD to get
it right. And I am also determined that our pilots should get
the missile they deserve to maintain air superiority into the
future.
We are confident that, once we are able to accept
ASRAAM into service, it will provide a significant contribution
to achieving and maintaining air superiority. Until that time,
Tornado F3, Harrier GR9 and Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft will continue
to have an effective short-range air-to-air capability using Sidewinder
AIM-9L missiles. This delay will have no impact on Eurofighter's
operational capability.
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