Doubts remain despite minister's JSF pledge
Defence Secretary Des Browne has sought to calm fears over the future of Lancashire-built Joint Strike Fighter.
The cabinet minister told MPs that flight testing of the aircraft is going well and that ministers remained "committed" to the project.
But his comments have done little to reassure Fylde MP Michael Jack, who insisted the F-35 project remains shrouded in uncertainty and fears it could be the victim of MoD cost-cutting.
Workers at BAE Samlesbury, near Preston, are involved in construction of the tail section of the warplanes.
The UK plans to buy 150 F-35s to operate from two new aircraft carriers, which are due to be built for the Royal Navy.
However, there have been claims that the defence companies developing the fighter have experienced severe technical challenges.
The Ministry of Defence last month appeared to confirm that the carriers will have to be equipped with existing Harrier GR9 aircraft because the JSFs will not be ready in time.
The first of the carriers is due to be in service in 2014.
But David Gould, the MoD chief operating officer for equipment and support, told the Commons Defence Committee: "The idea that we will have a carrier's worth of fully productionised, trained and equipped JSFs in 2014 is not going to happen."
Replying to a question from Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle, Mr Browne stressed that the programme was still "developing".
He said: "Indeed, flight testing of the JSF has been commenced and is progressing well.
"In fact, I understand that the first short take-off and vertical landing aircraft was rolled out in December 2007 and is undergoing testing, with the first flight planned later this year.
"As is normal in a programme of such size and technical complexity, reports may emerge concerning progress but we remain committed to the aircraft."
After the exchange Mr Hoyle said: "We have got to make sure that we keep the pressure on."
Michael Jack said: "There is a difference between being committed to the project and buying any aircraft.
"There is still doubt in people's minds on what being committed actually means."
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
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