Accord On Swing-wing

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 19

Accord On Swing-wing

(N.ZJP.A .-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, May 9.

Britain and France yesterday reached agreement on joint proposals covering specifications, costs and industrial arrangements for the British-French swingwing combat jet project.

This was said by British and French sources at the end of a 75-minute meeting of the British Defence Minister, Mr Denis Healey, and the Aviation Minister, Mr John Stonehouse, with the French Armed

Forces Minister, Mr Pierre Messmer.

The ministers had agreed on a “package deal,” British sources said. They would put them to their respective governments for approval. “Today’s meeting was really a good one,” the sources said. “And the agreement reached is both bold and encouraging.” A decision by both Governments was expected within the next few weeks and during June by the latest, the sources said. 'Britain and France now hope to associate West Germany in the swing-wing project and the Jaguar trainer. Mr Healey and M. Messmer are expected to discuss German participation with the West German Defence Minister, Dr. Gerhard Schoeder; at

a meeting in Paris this week. It will be the first tripartite meeting on the Jaguar and swing-wing projects.

The Bonn Government is known to be enthusiastic about the projects, but has so far made no commitments. French and British sources, however, are confident that West Germany will come in the swing-wing project at an early stage in its research and development and thus help reduce costs. The initial estimates of £2OO million for the project have soared towards £3OO million, for design and production to be shared on a fifty-fifty basis. The Royal Air Force is expected to receive its first swing-wing aircraft in 1974-75 and the French Air Force will get its interceptor version in 1975-76.