Ministry of Defence

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

As the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026 - the Chief of the Defence Staff reviewed the proposal to deploy HMS Dragon to the Eastern Mediterranean on the 3 March 2026 and the Secretary of State signed it off the same day. Before coming to this decision, discussions were held on this and other topics, with both officials and Ministerial colleagues. HMS Dragon departed from Portsmouth on 10 March 2026 and for operational security reasons, we will not comment on the duration of her deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.

We constantly review deployments of Royal Navy assets in line with securing the interests of the UK and our allies. No formal offer was made by the Royal Navy to deploy a Type 45 Destroyer ahead of HMS Dragon’s deployment at the first available moment on 10 March 2026.

In addition to the equipment and capabilities stationed at RAF Akrotiri, the Ministry of Defence have added 400 additional personnel, increased air defence radar and missiles since January. We have deployed F-35 and Typhoon aircraft, three Wildcat helicopters and a Merlin helicopter. HMS Dragon has now departed from the UK, where, as the Secretary of State informed the House on 9 March 2026, it will join US air defence destroyers in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In any situation that is developing as rapidly as the situation in the Middle East, new information will become available at short notice to update initial impressions. As we have said consistently, assessment of incidents will always be an ongoing process.

It is a longstanding position that the Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific intelligence, or information from third party nations, for security reasons.

Tenderers were required to hold their price for the duration of the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) procurement process, and there has been no change to the contract price from the received tender.

As I noted in my Written Statement to the House of 3 March 2026, this contract will supply our military with 23 modern helicopters, built in the UK, directly sustaining 3,300 British jobs at Leonardo Yeovil, and enables the potential for over £15 billion of export opportunities over the next decade.

The information is not held by the Ministry of Defence.

No Ministry of Defence arm’s length bodies hold statutory responsibilities that require them to produce statutory codes for laying before Parliament.

Air to air refuelling remains a key capability within the Air Mobility Force and increases the endurance, range, payload and flexibility of all capable receiver aircraft. This capability remains important to not only the RAF, but also for our NATO allies. The Strategic Defence Review highlighted the importance of air to air refuelling in defending the Euro Atlantic, and work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations will be prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force. This will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

Air to air refuelling remains a key capability within the Air Mobility Force and increases the endurance, range, payload and flexibility of all capable receiver aircraft. This capability remains important to not only the RAF, but also for our NATO allies. The Strategic Defence Review highlighted the importance of air to air refuelling in defending the Euro Atlantic, and work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations will be prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force. This will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.

The Fleet Ready Escort is undertaken by a Royal Navy warship held at high readiness to respond to tasking as required. For operational security reasons, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose the specific vessel nominated for this role on a given date.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 February 2026 to Question 108597.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-01-27/108597

Performance of defence major programmes is subject to regular review. This enables the timely application of appropriate interventions to support a return to increased delivery confidence. An assessment of Red does not mean that the programme is undeliverable, but that there are management interventions required as a priority in order to increase the likelihood of being able to deliver to approved time, performance and cost.

Under our Defence Reforms the National Armaments Director holds all the levers of procurement, enabling the necessary interventions to be applied in support of programmes assessed as Red. In addition, implementation of the Defence Industrial Strategy will continue to remove many of the drivers for reduced levels in delivery confidence.

We inherited an equipment programme where the vast majority of programmes were over-budget and delayed. Through the work we are doing as set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy and Defence Investment Plan, we are seeking to get on top of this backlog and we are making progress.

Available Royal Navy operational records show no enforcement or detention incidents involving Cuban‑flagged vessels in the past five years.

The United States' operational use of Diego Garcia is governed by an Exchange of Notes between the UK and the USA.

The potential use of any UK base or base on UK sovereign territory by foreign military forces for operational purposes is closely considered to ensure that we are content with their proposed activities taking place on/from those bases.

The Ministry of Defence routinely monitors and assesses the capabilities and activities of the Iranian Armed Forces, including its naval assets.

VALOUR will give veterans across the UK easier access to the essential care and support available to them.

VALOUR Recognised Centres (VRC) will enable veterans, and in due course the wider Armed Forces Community, to access in-person guidance and support. Applications for the first round of VALOUR Development Funding for organisations wishing to become a VRC closed on 14 January 2026. They are currently being assessed, and successful bids will be announced in due course.

The VALOUR Recognised Centres Development Fund is administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT) on behalf of the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA). Further detail on the fund’s criteria is published on the AFCFT website.

A network of VALOUR Field Officers (VFOs) will aim to bring together charities, service providers, and local government to improve collaboration and coordination and enable data-driven policy and service development. The first phase of recruitment for VFOs is currently underway.

VALOUR HQ, within the MOD, will gather data and insight, working with policy and research teams to ensure services are designed to meet local needs. The HQ team is currently being established within the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

VALOUR will give veterans across the UK easier access to the essential care and support available to them.

VALOUR Recognised Centres (VRC) will enable veterans, and in due course the wider Armed Forces Community, to access in-person guidance and support. Applications for the first round of VALOUR Development Funding for organisations wishing to become a VRC closed on 14 January 2026. They are currently being assessed, and successful bids will be announced in due course.

The VALOUR Recognised Centres Development Fund is administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT) on behalf of the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA). Further detail on the fund’s criteria is published on the AFCFT website.

A network of VALOUR Field Officers (VFOs) will aim to bring together charities, service providers, and local government to improve collaboration and coordination and enable data-driven policy and service development. The first phase of recruitment for VFOs is currently underway.

VALOUR HQ, within the MOD, will gather data and insight, working with policy and research teams to ensure services are designed to meet local needs. The HQ team is currently being established within the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

The Department continually assesses a wide range of potential threats to the UK and its citizens, including hostile activity by state actors. We do not comment on specific intelligence for security reasons.

The deployment of HMS Dragon is in addition to the considerable amount of capability positioned into RAF Akrotiri since January, including hundreds of Armed Forces personnel, radar, air defence missiles and F35s to defend our bases, people and interests.

The Department continually assesses a wide range of potential threats to the UK, including hostile activity by state actors. Whilst we do not comment on specific intelligence for security reasons, the UK maintains robust, multi layered defences designed to protect the whole of the country, including the North of Scotland.

The Department continually assesses a wide range of potential threats to the UK, including hostile activity by state actors. Whilst we do not comment on specific intelligence for security reasons, the UK maintains robust, multi layered defences designed to protect the whole of the UK.

The Department cannot comment on the specific security measures in place at individual sites. However, we can confirm that the Ministry of Defence operates a multi-layered approach designed to deter, detect, and respond to any threat to protect our assets.

The deployment of HMS Dragon is in addition to the considerable amount of capability positioned into RAF Akrotiri since January, including hundreds of armed forces personnel, radar, air defence missiles and F35s to defend our bases, people and interests.

We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of security to safeguard our national defence capabilities.

SAGE is a project to test the use of satellite communications, 4G, and Wi-Fi in places or buildings where digital signals are normally restricted.

You will note the recent publication on the Gov.UK website on 24 February which confirmed that the Ministry of Defence has trialled a series of projects designed to improve the UK's ability to outload munitions quickly and at scale. ONION seeks to capture lessons and policy challenges which have constrained munitions innovation.

I was pleased to host Minister Pat Conroy for the first Australia-UK Defence Industry Dialogue since 2018. As one of our closest allies, we had constructive discussions on how we can work together towards a safer and prosperous future.

A cornerstone of doing so is the AUKUS partnership, which will drive growth, create thousands of jobs and provide new opportunities across the trilateral submarine supply chain, building essential resilience into this vital area of our Defence industry.

With this in mind, we continue to work with Australia to understand how each country’s steel industry can provide optimal support for our respective SSN-AUKUS build programmes. Opportunities for the UK steel industry have already been realised, with Sheffield Forgemasters producing components for Australia’s SSN-AUKUS submarines. This has been underpinned by the £6 billion investment into the UK’s submarine building infrastructure that the Government announced in the Strategic Defence Review and a further £2.4 billion that Australia is providing to support capacity growth at Rolls-Royce Submarines and Sheffield Forgemasters.

The selection process for appointing the first Armed Forces Commissioner remains in progress. The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving service life for Service Personnel and their families. It is essential that we identify and appoint the most suitable individual to fulfil this responsibility. We are committed to appointing the right person for this critical role, which is central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people. Announcements on the outcome of the appointment will be made in due course.

The selection process for appointing the first Armed Forces Commissioner remains in progress. The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving service life for Service Personnel and their families. It is essential that we identify and appoint the most suitable individual to fulfil this responsibility. We are committed to appointing the right person for this critical role, which is central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people. Announcements on the outcome of the appointment will be made in due course.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is responsible for producing the UK’s maritime navigation charts; the Office operates as an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Defence. The UKHO only charts UK’s marine protected areas where they have an influence on marine navigation and safety of life at sea.

However, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) independently undertakes marine offshore surveys, monitors marine species, and maps marine and seabed habitats in its advisory capacity for Marine Protected Areas in UK waters; the JNCC is a non-executive public body administered by DEFRA.

The Strategic Defence Review 25 clearly sets out how the UK will maintain its Defence and Security, including maritime security. This includes the Defence Secretary’s foreword to the review highlighting investment in the hybrid navy as a priority, and in the context of the changing priorities of the United States.

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

The £1 billion New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract secures thousands of skilled British jobs, boosts the UK Armed Forces’ capability and makes Britain Leonardo’s global centre for military helicopter production and exports – worth a potential £15 billion over the next decade.

The NMH Entry Into Service is expected in January 2031, with the first aircraft delivered in the summer of 2030. The final aircraft is expected to be delivered in the autumn of 2033, which is also when the equipment acquisition contract is expected to end.

The financial profile for NMH has not changed since the release of the Invitation To Negotiate in February 2024. Approximately one third of the contract value is expected to be accounted for over the next three Financial Years.

Anti-submarine warfare remains a central and enduring operational priority for the Royal Navy due to the need to protect the UK’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent and to counter the growing undersea threat in the North Atlantic through the Atlantic Bastion concept.

The Ministry of Defence manages its commercial relationships in line with established government procurement and contract management frameworks, with appropriate governance, assurance and risk management arrangements in place throughout the life of a contract. I hope the hon. Gentleman will under that the Department does not comment on hypothetical scenarios relating to the termination of individual contracts.

The US is the UK’s closest defence and security partner. The Secretary of State and his officials are in regular contact with US counterparts on a range of topics to ensure coherence and alignment between our two nations.

You would not expect me to go into detail of operational discussions with the United States, including specific assessments of US capabilities or systems.

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nation’s military operations. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.

The Defence Serious Crime Command became operational on 5 December 2022 and since its inception has been independent of the single Service Chains of Command to protect its operational investigative independence. Under Clause 12 of the Armed Forces Bill 2026 we are introducing a Service Policing Protocol which will formally set out expectations, obligations and roles of all parties in respect of the investigation of criminal offences within Defence in a way that has not previously been articulated. It will improve clarity for everyone in Defence who interact with all Service Police and helps build confidence and transparency as the Service Justice System continues to modernise.

This will also give Service Policing a level of equivalence with civilian practice and will accompany the expansion of a policing governance structure within Defence. A protocol loosely modelled on the civilian equivalent (as issued under s79 of the Police Reform and Social responsibility Act 2011) is appropriate and an effective method of achieving the aim.

Currently under s113 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 (AFA 06), Commanding Officers have a duty to report any suspected Schedule 2 offences (this includes sexual assault) to the Service Police. Clause 17 of the Armed Forces Bill 2026 expands the current duty on Commanding Officers under s113 of AFA 06, to also include persons not within their own Chain of Command.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s Shuiqiao landing barge is a significant development in China’s amphibious power projection capability. As laid out in last year’s Strategic Defence Review, the UK recognises China's rapid military modernisation and its use of new capabilities to attempt to establish regional dominance. Growing Chinese assertiveness is a key driver of regional and global instability.

Defence can contribute to wider Government efforts to defend and shape international rules and norms in the region through strengthening regional partners and protecting freedom of navigation. In regional disputes, we continue to encourage all parties to settle their disputes peacefully through existing legal mechanisms.

As with procurement of any military equipment, it is normal for the Department to pay for trials required to validate compliance with requirements. This includes safety aspects, which we take extremely seriously for Ajax, as with any other capability.

We are working flat out to complete the Defence Investment Plan and it will be published as soon as possible.

Inspection of hulls takes place as part of the upgrade of all Ajax vehicles to Capability Drop 3 (CD3). To date, 17 vehicles from the first 100 hulls have been upgraded to CD3 and therefore inspected as part of that process.

Details of central Government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025, are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. The details published online include whether each contract was let through competitive tendering or via direct award.

Commonwealth citizens are, and always will be, an important and valued part of the UK Armed Forces and we have never stopped recruiting them. Citizens of over 40 Commonwealth countries are currently serving in the UK Armed Forces, and as at 1 October 2025, there were 5,510 Commonwealth personnel in the Trained and Trade Trained strength of the Regular Armed Forces.

Commonwealth citizens applying to join the UK Armed Forces must have valid immigration permission to be in the UK during the selection process. For those not already in the UK, the Home Office allow Armed Forces applicants who have been invited to undergo selection, to enter the UK on the visitor route either via a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation depending on their country of origin. Once successful applicants are recruited and begin their training, the Home Office exempts them from immigration control for the duration of their Regular service.

The national security vetting (NSV) process is owned by the Cabinet Office, and the MOD must comply with it. As part of this, a UK (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) footprint is an integral part of the NSV process for joining the Armed Forces, and clearance levels vary depending on the Service, rank and role applied for.  Where an applicant, regardless of nationality, has not resided in the UK continuously for the required period prior to their application additional checks may be needed.   Each Service keeps these requirements under review.

Due to an unprecedented volume of applications in August 2024, the Army is not currently accepting new applications from Commonwealth citizens, other than for those who wish to be musicians, whilst it processes those who have already applied. It is not possible at this stage to say when the application window will fully re-open, but Commonwealth citizens are continuing to join the Army. The Royal Navy continues to accept Expressions of Interest and the Royal Air Force continues to accept applications from Commonwealth citizens.

There are currently no plans to review the maximum 1,350 Basic Training Start limit for Commonwealth citizens each Recruiting Year (1 March – 30 April). The number of Commonwealth citizens who are recruited each year within the 1,350 limit and for the Army, the additional 15% limit on the number of Commonwealth personnel serving in each cap badge, is adjusted as necessary by the three Services to meet their Service and operational needs.

Commonwealth citizens serve on largely the same Terms of Service as their British and Irish counterparts including pay and pensions and have the same access to service accommodation and welfare support. The Ministry of Defence also works closely with the Home Office to ensure that non-UK personnel including Commonwealth citizens and their families benefit from specific immigration rules which enable them to enter, live, work and settle in the UK and become British citizens.