Questions
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government when ballistic sensor fused munitions will be available for use on the battlefield. [HL762]
The planned in-service date for the ballistic sensor fused munition is 2012. This is, however, subject to an internal review which is expected to conclude shortly.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what testing they will undertake on ballistic sensor fused munitions before use on the battlefield. [HL763]
A full qualification programme is planned for the ballistic sensor fused munition. This is standard practice for gun-fired munitions.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the manufacturers of ballistic sensor fused munitions regarding their ability to remain on the ground and cause damage to civilians after hostilities. [HL764]
Detailed discussions have taken place to understand the risks posed by unexploded sub-munitions from the ballistic sensor fused munitions. The sub-munitions have a self destruct mechanism designed to activate if a target is not located. If the self-destruct mechanism fails, the sub-munition is designed to power down so that it cannot be inadvertently detonated.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the manufacturer of ballistic sensor fused munitions is a British company; and, if so, what export restrictions will be imposed upon that weapon. [HL765]
A contract to procure the UKs ballistic sensor fused munition capability is in place with Gesellschaft für Intelligente Wirksysteme mbH (GIWS). This is a joint venture between Rheinmetall Defence and Diehl BGT Defence and is based in Germany.