EAST Lancashire MPs are calling on the Ministry of Defence to adapt the Typhoon Eurofighter for naval use.
They have attacked the government's refusal to consider deploying the revolutionary new war plane on two Royal Navy super carriers to come into service before the end of the decade.
And 27 Labour MPs, including Chorley's Lindsay Hoyle, Pendle's Gordon Prentice, Burnley's Peter Pike are demanding a change of heart, as is Ribble Valley Conservative Nigel Evans.
They have all signed an Early Day Motion.
The MPs say: "We note that the Typhoon aircraft will provide the backbone of United Kingdom and other nations' air capability for the coming years. We recognise the Typhoon's varied capability and its strong export potential.
"We further note that as yet the Ministry of Defence refuses to consider the possibility of looking to adapt the Typhoon to be deployed in the new super carriers.
"And we call on the Ministry of Defence to work with BAE Systems to develop a programme which will enable the Typhoon to be deployed from aircraft carriers enhancing its capability and export potential."
The plane is to be built by BAE Systems in its Samlesbury and Warton factories securing hundreds of jobs with many others in sub-contractors across East Lancashire also dependent on the project.
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