The following table, which is based on centrally held records, lists the majority of equipment projects with a cost of £20 million or over that were procured from the core equipment programme since 2004 and made available to operations in Afghanistan. A number of equipment projects have not been included as their disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Details of equipment projects procured prior to 2004, and projects costing less than £20 million for the entire period covered by the question, are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Category Equipment Land Equipment Battle Group Thermal Imaging Trojan Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle (CLV)1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Future Fire Control System Wheeled Tankers Pinzgauer 4x4 Truck Utility Medium Fitted For Radio Dismounted Counter Mine Capability—Vallon handheld mine detector Support Vehicle (SV) C Vehicle PFI—Crane Terex 35 Tonne C Vehicle PFI—Light Wheel Tractor All Arms JCB 3CX C Vehicle PFI—Light Wheeled Tractor JCB 4CX C Vehicle PFI—Medium Wheeled Tractor C Vehicle PFI—Bulldozer Cat D5N C Vehicle PFI—Heavy Well Drills C Vehicle PFI—Rough Terrain Forklift 2400 kg JCB C Vehicle PFI—Rough terrain Forklift 4000 kg JCB Operational Field Catering System (OFCS) Mobile Artillery Monitoring Battlefield Radar Weapons Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon Javelin Follow-On Buy Air Support C-17 (5th Aircraft) C-17 (6th aircraft) Information Systems and Services Bowman UIC/TSC503 Transportable SATCOM Terminals Helicopters Chinook Coherence 1 The Panther CLV was procured through the core equipment programme but a number of the vehicles underwent a modification, funded as an urgent operational requirement, to enable them to operate in Afghanistan.
Other equipment projects are planned to be procured from the core equipment programme to be made available for operations in Afghanistan. These include land equipment, information systems and services and helicopter projects and the 7th C17. Many other equipment projects procured from the core equipment programme have delivered capability in support of other operations.
While extensive support was provided by British forces to Operation Oqab Tsuka (Eagle's Summit), to move a turbine from Kandahar to Kajaki, it did not require the long-term redeployment of British troops from elsewhere in Helmand Province.
The Scout vehicles will be the principal reconnaissance vehicles of the British Army and will replace Scimitar vehicles which are currently deployed in Afghanistan. The final numbers and costs will be determined at the manufacture investment decision point.
The intent is for the Scout vehicle’s main weapon system to be the 40 mm Cased Telescoped Cannon provided by Cased Telescoped Ammunition International, a joint private venture between BAES and Nexter. On current plans, BAES will produce the ammunition for the cannon at their facilities in Glascoed, South Wales under the Department’s Munitions Acquisition Supply Solution (MASS) contract. The cost of each round of ammunition will be determined during commercial negotiations before the MASS contract is amended to incorporate the 40 mm ammunition. The lifespan of the barrel will be established during the qualification programme for the cannon and ammunition. The qualification programme consists of an extensive series of tests and trials to ensure that the cannon and ammunition are safe, reliable and effective for use by the British Army.