Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Sea Wolf Missile System will reach its out of service date; and what system is planned to replace it. [112156]

Peter Luff MP; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State [holding answer 18 June 2012]: On current plans, the Sea Wolf system will reach its out of service date in 2020. It will be replaced by a new local area air defence system named Sea Ceptor which will initially be fitted on Type 23 frigates from late 2016, and is then planned to provide the basis for the future air defence capability for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship from 2021.