PRESS RELEASE

15 May 2002

GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO AXE ROYAL NAVY SEA HARRIER WILL PUT FLEET AT RISK SAYS OTTAWAY

During a House of Commons Debate on Wednesday 8th May, Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, attacked the Government's decision to axe the Royal Navy Sea Harrier units (see Hansard).

The axing of the Sea Harrier will begin in 2004 and will end by 2006. Between 2006 and the introduction of new aircraft carriers between 2012 and 2015, there will be a major gap in the air defence of the Fleet.

Richard Ottaway says:-

"Having served in the Fleet Air Arm in the 1960s I know that air cover is an essential ingredient in modern warfare. It is therefore unthinkable that British amphibious forces are deployed without air cover. But the Government's decision to axe the Sea Harrier, a formidable part of our Fleet's defences, will mean just this."

"No-one questions that the Sea Harrier is getting old. The solution is to upgrade it with a modern engine. However, the Government has chosen not to do so. Instead they have decided to sacrifice the essential air defence cover of our amphibious forces because there is a lack of cash to upgrade the engines of 17 aircraft. In my view, this is not a risk worth taking."

Ends.

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