Navy Command FOI Section
Navy Command Headquarters
MP 1-4, Leach Building
Whale Island
PORTSMOUTH
PO2 8BY
Telephone [MOD]: +44 (0)2392 628695
Ref: FOI2017/03197
Facsimile [MOD]:
+44 (0)2392 625279
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xx
Mr G Cartwright
7 April 2017
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Mr Cartwright,
Release of Information
Thank you for your correspondence dated 9 March 2017 requesting the following information:
‘Could you please advise me of the rationale behind the decision to equip the new Queen
Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers with the 20mm Phalanx Close In Weapons System
(CIWS), manufactured by Raytheon,and not the 30mm Goalkeeper CIWS produced by
Thales Naval?
Please also advise me as to which other CIWS systems were presented in the tendering
process for the carriers.’
Your enquiry has been considered to be a request for information in accordance with the Freedom
of Information Act 2000.
This letter is to inform you that the Ministry of Defence holds some information related to your
request, but that we believe the information falls within the scope of the following qualified
exemption s43 (Commercial Interests). As such, it is necessary for us to decide whether, in all
circumstances of the the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public
interest in disclosure.
S43 – Commercial Interests
Under s43(2), information is exempt if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the
commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it). It is likely that some of the
information may contain commercially sensitive material which, if disclosed, may prejudice the current
and future commercial interests of the Department.
The Freedom of Information Act requires us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no
later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption
applies to the information and the public interest test has to be conducted, the Act allows the time
for responses to be longer than 20 working days. A full response must be provided within such
timeas is reasonable in all circumstances of the case and, in relation to your request, we plan to let
you have a response by the 10 May 2017.
If you are not satisfied with this response or you wish to complain about any aspect of the handling
of your request, then you should contact me in the first instance. If informal resolution is not possible
and you are still dissatisfied then you may apply for an independent internal review by contacting
the Information Rights Compliance team, Ground Floor, Zone D, MOD Main Building, Whitehall,
SW1A 2HB (e-ma
il xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xx). Please note that any request for an internal review must
be made within 40 working days of the date on which the attempt to reach informal resolution has
come to an end.
If you remain dissatisfied following an internal review, you may take your complaint to the
Information Commissioner under the provisions of Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.
Please note that the Information Commissioner will not investigate your case until the MOD internal
review process has been completed. Further details of the role and powers of the Information
Commissioner can be found on the Commissioner's website,
http://www.ico.org.uk. Yours sincerely
Navy Command Secretariat – FOI Section