Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what analysis his Department made of alternatives to the MSI-DSL 30mm gun for deployment on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Mr Philip Dunne

In December 2003 a competition was launched to provide the Royal Navy with an improved defensive anti-surface warfare capability with the preference being for an automated 30mm gun system. A number of companies entered the competition, and the MSI ‘Seahawk’ system was eventually chosen on the basis of cost, capability and through life support. The MSI weapon system, now referred to as the Automated Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) System, was subsequently selected for fitting to HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Four ASCGs will be fitted on QUEEN ELIZABETH.