Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the US Department of Defense Operational Test and Evaluation report of 1 February 2016 on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Mr Philip Dunne

The independent programme review from the US Department of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) occurs annually, and the UK F-35 Test and Evaluation Squadron forms an integral part of its Joint Operational Test activity. All of the issues identified in the 2015 OT&E Report are understood and are being actively managed by the F-35 programme.

Overall, the F-35 programme continues to make steady progress. The UK programme remains on track to deliver Initial Operating Capability in December 2018.