Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on establishing sovereign manufacturing capabilities for next-generation combat air systems.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme supports sovereign manufacturing capabilities across the UK, mobilising the UK’s aerospace and defence industrial base, drawing on expertise in airframe, propulsion, sensors, weapons, and systems integration. This underpins the UK’s sovereign ability to design, build, operate and sustain advanced Combat Air capability.