To ask the Secretary of State for Defence

(1) whether the projects for the (a) Chinook fleet, (b) Apache fleet, (c) Apache extension, (d) Puma fleet, (e) Puma upgrade, (f) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (g) Wildcat fleet, (h) Merlin fleet, (i) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (j) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (k) A400M air transporter, (l) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (m) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (n) Typhoon fleet and (o) joint strike fighter fleet are on time and on budget;

(2) what the (a) total cost and (b) length is of programmes for the (i) Chinook fleet, (ii) Apache fleet, (iii) Apache extension, (iv) Puma fleet, (v) Puma upgrade, (vi) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (vii) Wildcat fleet, (viii) Merlin fleet, (ix) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (x) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (xi) A400M air transporter, (xii) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (xiii) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (xiv) Typhoon fleet and (xv) joint strike fighter fleet.

holding answer 24 May 2012

For current performance against time and cost criteria for the Puma upgrade, Chinook fleet, Wildcat fleet, Merlin fleet, Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, A400M air transporter, Airseeker surveillance aircraft, Typhoon fleet and Joint Strike Fighter fleet, I refer the hon. Member to the “Major Projects Report 2011: Ministry of Defence”, published by the National Audit Office on 16 November 2011 (HC 1520-1 and HC 1520-11).

The Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (Capability Sustainment programme) project is on time and on budget against its latest approval (as at 31 March 2012).

The eighth CI7 strategic airlift aircraft has been delivered and is in service.

The main investment decisions for Apache extension and Merlin Marinisation have not yet been made and until then, timelines and costs will not be confirmed. Apache fleet and Puma fleet are completed projects.

The latest planned length of the projects to completion (from 1 April 2012) are set out in the following table:

With the exception of the eighth C17, the latest costs for those projects which are live and have passed their main investment decision are currently being validated by the National Audit Office. These will be published in the Major Projects Report 2012 in the autumn of this year. The eighth C17 will cost £200 million.