Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2024 to Question 10015 on BOWMAN Combat Radio System, who the prime contractor for Bowman 5.7 is.

My Written Statement dated 14 December 2023 confirmed that we will continue to work with General Dynamics to ensure they deliver the planned update to sustain the in-service Bowman System, while ensuring we remain able to meet all our operational requirements. The update, alongside our own development efforts, will deliver new hardware and software ensuring troops on the frontline continue to have a secure communications system, enabling them to effectively communicate across the battlespace. As the BCIP 5.7 project is still in development and subject to approvals the procurement strategy is yet to be confirmed.

There are currently six people within the Army Headquarters working on the BCIP 5.7 project, supported by the Tactical Systems (TacSys) Service Executive within Defence Digital.

The LETacCIS programme has a full-time Senior Civil Servant (2*) Senior Responsible Owner, Joy Senior, who has responsibility for the BCIP 5.7 project as part of the wider LETacCIS programme.