Joint strike fighter deal agreed

Tuesday, 12 December 2006 12:00 AM

The government has signed up to the next stage of the £140 billion joint strike fighter (JSF) programme with the US, after assurances that it could use it independently.

Defence minister Lord Drayson said the US government had confirmed it would pass on the technology needed to update and use the aircraft system, to ensure Britain did not have to refer back to Washington every time it wanted to use it.

Last week, MPs on the defence select committee said ministers must be prepared to pull out of the whole project - which is expected to bring more than $29 billion to the UK in contract work - unless it received everything it needed by the end of the year.

But today Lord Drayson said he had held talks with US deputy defence secretary Gordon England and had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the next phase of the multi-role combat aircraft.

"After an excellent meeting with Gordon England, I am delighted to be able to sign this MoU which will take the UK into the next phase of the JSF programme," he said.

"I have always been clear that the UK would only sign if we were satisfied that we would have operational sovereignty over our aircraft. I have today received the necessary assurances from the US on technology transfer to allow me to sign the MoU."

MPs on the defence select committee had warned that ministers must draw up a "plan B" to develop an alternative aircraft in case Britain had to withdraw from the joint strike fighter programme, saying the two new aircraft carriers must not go to waste.

The Conservatives had endorsed the findings, saying: "Failure by the US to grant the UK access to the technology would restrict Britain's national sovereignty."

But Lord Drayson said: "This signature reflects our continuing commitment to providing our armed forces with battle-winning equipment, to procuring and supporting that equipment in the most cost-effective way, and to enhancing the UK's ability to operate effectively with our international partners."

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• armed forces
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• defence
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• defence procurement
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• foreign policy