To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which aircraft will be used on the new aircraft carriers. [128534]

The primary aircraft for the Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) will be the Short Take Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). CVF will have the capacity to operate a wide range of aircraft including that selected to provide maritime airborne surveillance and control and helicopters in a wide variety of roles that could include anti-submarine warfare, attack, surveillance and support. As CVF will be built to an innovative and adaptable design, it will be capable of modification to operate future generations of air platforms, such as aircraft requiring a catapult launch and arrested recovery.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated conversion cost is for the Eurofighter Typhoon to operate from the new aircraft carriers. [128536]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 678W.