Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Metcalfe and Alex Chalk

Monday 30th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

20. What steps his Department is taking to develop innovative defence technology.

[The Minister for Defence Procurement (Alex Chalk)]

The Ministry of Defence works closely with British industry and academia, including small and medium-sized enterprises, to identify and invest in innovative technologies that address our most pressing capability challenges, as well as publishing our future priorities to incentivise investment. We are already testing and deploying these technologies.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Metcalfe]

If we want to keep our country safe we need to work with our allies to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the latest developments in defence technology. Will my hon. and learned Friend confirm that our new partnership with Japan and Italy will involve collaborating in areas such as weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles, and not just on fighter jets?

[Alex Chalk]

The ambition of this truly international programme is principally to deliver a cutting-edge fighter aircraft, providing a credible deterrent to future threats. As my hon. Friend knows, this is a system of systems, and it is likely to include uncrewed aircraft, new sensors, weapons, advanced data systems and secure networks. Those wider capabilities may be developed together with our wider partners, or with our existing partners in that endeavour. We will continue to explore system opportunities between both our core partnership and more widely.