Defence equipment and procurement

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on defence equipment and procurement. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
11.05.2012	The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
	The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be the new multirole fast jet for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. It will serve as the strike capability for the new Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier and will partner the Typhoon to form the future fast jet fleet for the RAF. There are three variants of the Joint Strike Fighter. The Government selected the Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant in 2002 but this was changed by the current Government to the Carrier Variant in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The Government reverted to the STOVL variant on 10 May 2012.
11.05.2012	NATO: The Chicago Summit
	The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) holds its Heads of State and Government summit in Chicago on 20-21 May 2012. The main themes of the summit are Afghanistan, capabilities and partnerships.
16.12.2011	Privatisation of RAF/Royal Navy Search and Rescue
03.06.2011	EC Defence Equipment Directives
	In 2009 two EU directives were adopted relating to the procurement of defence and security related goods and services, and the intra-EU transfer of defence goods. Both of those directives must be transposed into UK law in 2011. This note examines the background to these Directives, the specific provisions in each of them and current plans for transposition.
17.01.2011	Defence exports: Social Indicators page
	Defence exports: Social Indicators page. By Allan Smith and Paul Bolton. SN/SG/2622.

Research Papers

Date	Description
14.12.2011	Military balance in Southeast Asia
	This paper examines the military balance of power in Southeast Asia and specifically at the military capabilities and priorities of six regional actors: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore.
20.10.2003	UK Defence Procurement Policy
	UK Defence Procurement Policy. House of Commons Library Research Paper 03/78
15.10.1998	The Strategic Defence Review White Paper
	The strategic defence review White Paper. House of Commons Library Research Paper 98/91.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
18.07.2011	The use of information to manage the Logistics supply chain.
	Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
04.04.2011	Management of the Typhoon project.
	Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
22.03.2011	Defence equipment 2010.
	Government response. Defence Select Committee; Ministry of Defence report [Commons]
01.12.2010	The strategic defence and security review.
	Government response. Defence Select Committee report [Commons]
27.07.2010	The contribution of ISTAR to operations.
	Government response. Defence Select Committee; Ministry of Defence report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
14.09.2011	DEFENCE BUSINESS SERVICES
	That this House expresses profound concern at the proposed appointment of a commercial management company to partner Defence Business Services; believes that allowing a private sector ...
17.02.2011	CLUSTER MUNITIONS AND DIEGO GARCIA
	That this House welcomes the international treaty to ban the use, manufacture, sale and storage of cluster munitions that came into force on 1 August 2010; is concerned that the American ...
12.07.2010	ARMS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT SALES
	That this House isshocked at the comment reportedly made in an interview publishedin The Times on 24 June 2010 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence responsible ...
09.02.2010	US AIR FORCE'S KC-X AIRCRAFT TANKER PROGRAMME
	That this House celebrates the important and longstanding historical ties between the UK and the US and the two nations' important strategic relationship in defence, security and trade; ...
16.12.2009	FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRBUS A400M
	That this House welcomes the successful completion of the first flight of the Airbus Military A400M transporter; notes that Britain has ordered 25 A400Ms to provide the Armed Forces ...

POST Papers

Date	Description
01.09.1999	Military Use of Satellite Imagery, September 1999
	Technological developments are continually improving the resolution of remote sensing from planes and satellites. Such techniques can provide 24-hour global surveillance in all weathers and are thus of crucial importance to national defence and military operations. But despite all the high technology, human operators remain of paramount importance in interpreting the data. This briefing note reviews the technical challenges and other issues facing the UK in maintaining this military 'high ground'.