Committees

Future Aviation Capabilities

Inquiry

This inquiry was originally conducted during the 2019 Parliament and was interrupted by the 2024 general election. In November 2024 the re-established committee agreed to complete the inquiry.

Following the conclusion of its first inquiry into aviation procurement, the Committee is now launching a new follow-on inquiry which will focus on future aviation capabilities. The Committee welcomes written evidence on any or all of the topics below, to be submitted by Monday 23 October: 

 

Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP): 

  • What will be the key challenges in delivering GCAP’s aim to deliver a 6th generation combat aircraft by 2035, and what should the MoD be doing now to address them?
  • What lessons can be learnt from previous large multilateral defence programmes such as Typhoon?
  • How can the MoD ensure that GCAP attracts and retains political and public support over the next decade?
  • With full-scale production of the new aircraft not expected to be underway until the 2030s, how can the MoD and industry ensure that an appropriately skilled workforce is retained in the interim?

 

Rotary wing

  • What are the reasons for, and the implications of, delays to the New Medium Lift helicopter procurement?
  • Is planned investment across the rotary wing fleet appropriately balanced to deliver the capabilities required?

 

Advanced jet trainer 

  • With the Hawk T2 expected to leave service in 2040, and synthetic training becoming increasingly prevalent, how should the MoD approach the procurement of its next advanced jet trainer?

 

Munitions

  • What is your assessment of the MoD’s vision, strategy and planning of future airborne weapons systems across the combat fleet?
  • Is the air mobility fleet suitably equipped for the transport of such weapons?

 

Defence industrial strategy 

  • How can the MoD ensure that these procurements best contribute to a sustainable and thriving defence industrial base, by building and maintaining appropriately skilled, effective and active defence manufacturing teams?
  • How should exportability be built into these programmes from the outset, and what should the MoD, and the Government more broadly, be doing to maximise their export potential?

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:59pm on 23 October 2023.

Upcoming events

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No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Wednesday 21 February 2024
2:30pm Public
Future Aviation Capabilities - Oral evidence 21 February 2024
2:30pm
  • James Cartlidge MP (Minister for Defence Procurement at Ministry of Defence)
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton KCB (Chief of the Air Staff at Ministry of Defence)
  • Lieutenant General Rob Magowan CB CBE (Chief of the Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability) at Ministry of Defence)
  • Richard Berthon OBE (Director Future Combat Air at Ministry of Defence)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 24 January 2024
2:30pm Public
Future Aviation Capabilities - Oral evidence 24 January 2024
2:30pm
  • Simon Barnes (Group Managing Director Air at BAE Systems)
  • Herman Claesen (Managing Director Future Combat Air Systems at BAE Systems)
3:10pm
  • Tristan Crawford (CEO at AERALIS)
  • Nick Laird CBE (Managing Director of European Space and Defence at Spirit AeroSystems)
3:50pm
  • Ian Waddell (General Secretary at The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU))
  • Mr Rhys McCarthy (National Officer for Aerospace and Shipbuilding at Unite the Union)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 9 January 2024
10:30am Public
Future Aviation Capabilities - Oral evidence 9 January 2024
10:30am
  • Lucia Retter (Research Leader at RAND Europe)
  • Professor Trevor Taylor (Director of the Defence, Industries & Society Programme at RUSI)
11:30am
  • Tim Rowntree (Former Director at OCCAR)
  • Brian Phillipson (Former CEO/COO at Eurofighter GmbH)
Room 5, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.