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Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 11 June 2007.

Armed Forces: Battlefield Identification System

Question: My Lords, from these Benches we join the Minister in sending condolences to the families of the two corporals and the guardsman whom he mentioned. In the light of the Minister’s last response and the criticism fromthe Public Accounts Committee in the Commons, will the Government consider an interim programme for the battlefield target identification system?

Answer: No, my Lords. We often operate in coalition with the United States and, on such operations, the US provides more than 90 per cent of the air cover to forces on the ground. The system would be useless without the inclusion of the US. Therefore, a system developed uniquely for UK forces would have no real utility and would be a waste of money.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 692 c1460-1
Session: 2006-07
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Defence equipment Procurement Identification friend or foe systems
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk