Typhoon has had a troubled history

The government has admitted that production of the Eurofighter Typhoon jet may be put on hold.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram told MPs in Westminster Hall on Wednesday he would not "try to predict exactly" when the government will be ready to order the second tranche of the fighters.

Under an agreement with its partners in the project - Germany, Spain and Italy - the UK should place its order for phase two of the aircraft by the end of this year.

But a production delay seems likely as the government continues to negotiate the timescales for delivery.

Ministers have already pledged �200 million to support early work on the next tranche.

In the Westminster Hall debate, Conservative MP Anne McIntosh - whose Vale of York constituency includes the RAF Leeming base - called on the government to clarify "mixed messages" about the fighter jet, which will replace the ageing Tornado F3 and Jaguar aircraft.

Eurofighter Typhoon Joint project between Germany, Italy, Spain and UK Tranche 1 - 148 jets - 55 for UK Tranche 2 - 236 jets - 89 for UK Tranche 3 - 236 jets - 88 for UK

A series of newspaper reports citing military sources in the UK and Germany have claimed the government is seeking substantial cuts to the Typhoon programme, and that it may cancel tranche three of the project altogether.

Further details are expected in a Defence White Paper before the New Year.

Mr Ingram has emphasised that a contractual commitment for the third tranche "is not needed or expected before 2007", leaving open the possibility that ministers will seek to renegotiate or scrap the order altogether.

The project has faced a string of difficulties since initial development began in the 1980s.

Typhoon is currently grounded due to a landing gear problem, although flying is expected to restart later this month, and the RAF will take delivery of its first jets shortly afterwards.

However, this first tranche of planes will have only an air defence capability.

Adam Ingram told MPs that they "will be mainly used for training and evaluation". They will not have the ground attack function which was a key role for coalition aircraft in the Iraq war: this will come with the second tranche.