Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of equipping UK forces with improvised anti-drone vehicles using mounted machine guns and spotlights.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the threat posed to the UK. Integrated Air and Missile Defence, including the countering of the threat posed by Uncrewed Air Systems, will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force. Delivery of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including investment in homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be laid out in the Defence Investment Plan due to be published later this year. The Department is reviewing all options for the manufacture and deployment of anti-drone systems.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have been consulted on the potential to manufacture mobile anti-drone platforms for domestic defence.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the threat posed to the UK. Integrated Air and Missile Defence, including the countering of the threat posed by Uncrewed Air Systems, will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force. Delivery of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including investment in homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be laid out in the Defence Investment Plan due to be published later this year. The Department is reviewing all options for the manufacture and deployment of anti-drone systems.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that air defence systems are equipped to respond to (a) cost-asymmetric threats and (b) drone swarms.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the threat posed to the UK. Integrated Air and Missile Defence, including the countering of the threat posed by Uncrewed Air Systems, will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force. Delivery of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including investment in homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be laid out in the Defence Investment Plan due to be published later this year. The Department is reviewing all options for the manufacture and deployment of anti-drone systems.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of deploying mobile, low-cost anti-drone units.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence continually monitors the threat posed to the UK. Integrated Air and Missile Defence, including the countering of the threat posed by Uncrewed Air Systems, will be prioritised appropriately as part of the future Integrated Force. Delivery of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including investment in homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence, will be laid out in the Defence Investment Plan due to be published later this year. The Department is reviewing all options for the manufacture and deployment of anti-drone systems.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions the UK has had with NATO allies on the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks in the event of prolonged drone-based conflict.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has regular and ongoing discussions with NATO allies on the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks. This includes through the NATO Conference National Armament Directors (CNAD), which held an extraordinary meeting on air and missile defence on 23 January 2025, and the NATO Defence Industrial Production Board, which is currently addressing how we increase industrial capacity in Surface-Based Air and Missile Defence. The UK is also encouraging allies to consolidate future buys of air defence ammunition and support increased production capacity through our NATO Multinational Procurement Initiatives and NATO’s Reoccurring Process for Aggregating Demand Signal (REPEAD). The UK remains committed to working closely with NATO allies to ensure the sustainability of air defence ammunition stocks and to address the challenges posed by evolving threats, including drone-based warfare. The Government will continue to prioritise this issue and work with Allies to ensure that NATO remains prepared to respond to current and future security challenges.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the scope is of the UK's commitment to the NATO Eastern Sentry programme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The UK committed early to Eastern Sentry, deploying RAF Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft to conduct air defence missions over Poland. This deployment involves hundreds of UK personnel.
In a demonstration of the UK’s ongoing and steadfast support for NATO’s collective defence, the Defence Secretary has confirmed that the UK’s contribution to Eastern Sentry will continue until at least the end of 2025, ensuring the security of NATO territory and deterring further aggression.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what logistical or operational support RAF aircraft (a) are providing to Israel and (b) has provided over the last year.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The RAF is not providing logistical or operational support to Israel.
Over the last year, the RAF has not provided logistical support to Israel, however, following the terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023, the UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals, who were kidnapped. In support of these efforts, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducted surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza from December 2023.
Following the agreement of the Gaza peace plan between Israel and Hamas, and the release of all remaining live hostages, the MOD ceased surveillance flights over Gaza. The last flight took place on 10 October 2025.
You will understand that we will not comment further on detail relating to intelligence matters to protect operational security and preserve the MOD’s ability to respond to any future hostage incidents around the world.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76411 on Ajax Vehicles, if he will publish the findings of the assessment programme for the use of the ARES variant of Ajax for mounted close combat.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand that I am withholding the details of the assessment programme findings, as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Emma Lewell (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with Kosovo counterparts on (a) strengthening defence and security collaboration and (b) industrial and armed forces cooperation.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence in 2008, the UK has a strong bilateral defence relationship. We continue to play a leading role in the professionalisation of the Kosovo Security Force since its inception in 2009. Today our cooperation focusses on areas including training and exercising, defence education and defence reform. HMG also continue to explore future defence export opportunities to Kosovo. Alongside bolstering Kosovo’s security and resilience, this cooperation aims to support jobs throughout the United Kingdom and maintain our world-class defence-industrial base. Defence exports as well as bilateral defence cooperation were issues discussed when the Kosovan Director for Policy and Strategy met with UK Defence officials in the margins of DSEI in September.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many fast jet pilots are expected to complete training and enter front-line service with the RAF in each of the next five years.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The number of Royal Air Force (RAF) fast jet pilots that are expected to complete training and commence Operational Conversion Units is based upon the front-line demand for qualified pilots in future years. The RAF actively manage the pilot training pipelines to ensure that trainee flowthrough is kept to an optimum and meets the front-line requirements. The specific number of fast jet pilots expected to complete training and commence front-line Operational Conversion Units in the RAF in each of the next five years will not be released into the public domain as this information may provide tactical advantage to hostile forces causing operational and personnel security risks.