Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the announcement, Wedgetail is on the radar, Defence Secretary announces ahead of NATO conference, published by his Department in October 2018, what proportion of the (a) workshare; and (b) jobs are planned to be based in the UK in the event that the E7-Wedgetail is chosen as the replacement for the Sentry fleet.

While a final investment decision has not yet been made, the Ministry of Defence is working closely with Boeing to ensure they explore how Britain's defence industry could also benefit from any procurement. Boeing has confirmed that it would plan to establish an assembly line in Cambridge for the integration of the radar and aircraft, and that it would be their intent to use such a line to fulfil orders for other nations should they be secured. Through-life, we anticipate that support and training would be undertaken within the UK, directly leading to UK jobs.