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Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 13 January 2026UIN 101527

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2025 to question 98882 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement, what the £3,777,000 in constructive losses related to Project Rarden in the 2024-25 Ministry of Defence Accounts is for.

Answered by Luke Pollard

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to his Question 98882 which remains extant. There has been no money spent or specific work carried out under Project Rarden in the last ten years, there is no further data prior to this date.

Project Rarden is a legacy project that introduced the Rarden cannon into service in the 1970s. The reference to Project Rarden in the 2024-2025 Ministry of Defence Accounts is an error – this will be corrected.

I can confirm that this entry relates to ammunition capability which was funded as part of the Armoured Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) munition. The Constructive loss of circa £3.7 million is a result of Defence choosing not to pursue procurement of the APFSDS munition following initial trials.

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