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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the BOWMAN project. [104129] Mr. Kilfoyle: We have been reviewing the BOWMAN Tactical Communications System project. In accordance with Smart Procurement principles, it is now planned to deliver the system incrementally. As a consequence, initial deliveries of the stand-alone, Personal Role Radio element of BOWMAN should now be possible earlier than previously planned. The MOD's preferred supplier for BOWMAN is Archer Communications Systems Ltd. (ACSL). Management of ACSL is now vested in BAe Systems who have committed to a radical reinvigoration of the company. ACSL is working under a risk of reduction contract to deliver a viable solution to the BOWMAN requirement. The company's original proposal was too expensive and carried too much risk. Since June, we have, therefore, been working with ACSL to produce an acceptable solution. This will depend in part on efficiencies being achieved by the company. We now hope to place an implementation contract in late 2000. We cannot yet set a revised in service date, but would expect it to be in late 2003/early 2004.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

341 c468W; 104129

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Defence equipment Procurement Telecommunications BOWMAN combat radio system