Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timeline is for the delivery of the Mobile Fires Platform; and what the potential impact is of delays to the programme on the Army’s long-range artillery capabilities.

The Mobile Fires Platform will deliver the Army's Close Support Fires capability. The project aims to achieve Minimum Deployable Capability (MDC) within this decade and will deliver the Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) Calibre Wheeled Artillery System through a collaborative procurement with Germany. The project is in its assessment phase and a timeline or definition of MDC is yet to be determined, both of which will be guided by the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR).

The Army is currently undergoing a combined programme of work to ensure our Land Forces will have the lethality, protection and mobility to fight and win against any adversary. Whilst the Army's modernisation will continue over the next decade with a programme of investment worth billions of pounds, future capability development priorities, including long-range artillery capabilities, will be guided by the SDR.