Archive

1983 Dec 13 - 1985 Jun 27
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1440
Defence (Procurement of weapon systems: national defence technological capabilities; rising cost of defence equipment; participation in European Fighter Aircraft project) (Part 2)

Document type: File list item
Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2014 Dec 30
Classification: Secret
Page count: 314
Any docs withheld?

PREM19/1440 - download whole file (PDF, 55.56 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 21 - 40 of 49

Per page:
Date Value Title
85 Feb 6 Wed Defence: Rees letter to Adam Butler ("Inertial Navigation System for Harrier GR5") [outline of reasons for choosing Ferranti over Litton] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Feb 26 Tue Defence: Heseltine minute to MT ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["major and complex issues that the Government will need to consider"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 1 Fri Defence: Rees minute to MT ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["proposed timetable, and the risk in relation to the BAe sale"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 5 Tue Defence: Heseltine letter to George Younger ("RAF Future Basic Trainer") [request for Younger's officials not to participate in Equipment and Policy Committee meeting] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 8 Fri Defence: Hurd minute to Heseltine ("RAF Trainer") [merits of Shorts' Tucano bid] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 12 Tue Defence: Howe minute to Heseltine ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["We are fully agreed on the need to do everything we possibly can to make this major collaborative European project a successful reality"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 14 Thu Defence: George Younger letter to Heseltine ("RAF Basic Trainer") [outline of the merits of BAe's PC-9 bid] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 14 Thu Defence: Tebbit letter to Heseltine ("European Fighter Aircraft (EFA)") [stresses need to agree on merits of collaborative strategy and on negotiating tactics, to avoid "exploitation" by France] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 14 Thu Defence: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["We recommend that you should, at this juncture, sound a cautionary note"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 18 Mon Defence: Heseltine letter to Tebbit ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["Industrial factors, particularly... [BAe's] position relative to the French, will play a large part in determining the way forward"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 19 Tue Defence: Heseltine minute to MT ("A New Basic Trainer for the Royal Air Force") [Shorts vs BAe: notification of reduction in cost of BAe bid; recommendation still to accept Shorts bid] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 20 Wed Defence: Tebbit PS letter to Heseltine PS ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["a short summary list of some of the issues that may arise"] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 20 Wed Defence: Tebbit PS letter to Heseltine PS (new Basic Trainer for the RAF) [pitch for Swiss firm/BAe-produced PC9] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 20 Wed Defence: No.10 Policy Unit briefing for MT ("A New Basic Trainer for the RAF") [possible arguments against Heseltine decision to award contract to Shorts; advice to endorse decision; date for privatising Shorts] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 20 Wed Defence: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("A New Basic Trainer for the Royal Air Force") [Heseltine recommendation to award contract to Shorts vs Younger preference for BAe] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Mar 21 Thu Defence: Heseltine PS letter to No.10 ("A New Basic Trainer for the RAF") [text of Heseltine statement to Parliament on successful bid] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Apr 2 Tue Defence: Rees minute to MT ("European Fighter Aircraft (EFA)") [consideration of UK's defence needs, and relative merits of alternative options] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Apr 4 Thu Defence: MT letter to Chair of United Technologies Corporation (RAF Basic Trainer Aircraft) [background to Government's decision to place the order with Short Brothers, Belfast] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Apr 15 Mon Defence: Heseltine minute to MT ("European Fighter Aircraft") [key issues, for Cabinet meeting on 25 April] [declassified Dec 2014]
85 Apr 26 Fri Defence: No.10 briefing for MT ("European Fighter Aircraft") ["Aside from Trident this is the biggest procurement decision the Government will have taken"; key issues] [declassified Dec 2014]