Recommendation 12

The Department set out why these capability limitations have occurred. It told us that its ability to integrate new weapons was dependent on the global F-35 programme run by the United States Department of Defense. It requires the major software enhancements provided by Tech Refresh 3 and Block 4, which has not yet been fully defined or timetabled and which the UK cannot directly influence.25 The Department acknowledged that delivery of Spear 3 is also negatively impacted by supplier performance.26 The Department also told us that it had delayed building the ASAF to save money for higher priorities elsewhere in Defence, acknowledging that this short-term saving would cost more money in the long-term.27