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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what request his Department made to the US Government on the sale of training and logistics support to back up the lease of four Boeing C17 Transport Aircraft; what is the cost to his Department of this support and over what time it would run; and if he will make a statement. [124555] Mr. Hoon: Further to my statement of 16 May 2000 in which I announced that it is our intention to lease four C-17 Globemaster aircraft to meet the Royal Air Force short to medium term airlift requirement: following termination of the original Short Term Strategic Airlift competition on 5 August 1999, the Ministry of Defence explored a number of options. These included discussions with Boeing and the US Government on ways of reducing the cost of meeting the RAF's requirement with a possible C-17 lease package. These discussions focused on the most cost-effective means of providing training and logistic support. Following our decision to lease four C-17 aircraft, a UK/US Government agreement has now been signed to provide C-17 training and training support services for the programme at an approximate cost of £8 million. A similar agreement will be put in place to cover the logistic support for the aircraft, but the details, including final costs, have yet to be agreed. Both agreements are expected to run for the full term of the aircraft lease.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

124555; 351 c171W

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Contracts Expenditure Military aircraft Training Transport C-17 aircraft

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk