Letter from the Secretary of State for
Defence to the Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 15 December about
the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
US government on the next phase of the JSF programme.
The MoU came into effect on 31 December 2006
and I enclose a copy for your information. A copy will also be
placed in the Libraries of both Houses. I should explain, however,
that the MoU sets out the general framework and the nature of
the specific assurances provided by the US are contained in a
separate highly classified bilateral supplement to the MoU. This
supplement, which the Department has spent the last year negotiating
with the US, details the specific areas of information which are
critical to the delivery of operational sovereignty. Due to the
nature of the arrangements set out in this supplement and its
classification, I am not able to release it to the Committee.
In signing this document, the Department has
had due regard to the roles it requires industry to play in delivering
operational sovereignty. The assurances contained within the supplement
provide for the transfer of the information required for UK industry
to deliver those aspects of support and upgrade that we have set
out as essential to delivering operational sovereignty throughout
the life of the JSF programme. Within the JSF Industry team, agreements
are also in place that recognise the key role to be played by
UK companies in the programme, not only in delivering operational
sovereignty for the UK but also to provide support services for
the nine partner nations aircraft which will total around 3,000
aircraft.
As Lord Drayson testified to the Committee on
19 December, this agreement will provide us with the technology
which we need to achieve our operational sovereignty requirements.
The important thing as we move ahead is to maintain the forward
focus in terms of the technology transfer as we go through the
development of the aircraft.
6 January 2007
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