Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Surface to Air Missile Centre command and control systems, (b) Giraffe Agile Multibeam radars and (c) Land Ceptor launcher and missile systems comprising the Sky Sabre system are deployed in (i) the UK (ii) Poland and (iii) the Falklands.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We do not routinely disclose the locations or numbers of these platforms in the interests of security and operational effectiveness.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his (a) planned timetable and (b) key milestones for success are for the DIAMOND initiative.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
In October the UK signed a letter of intent on DIAMOND (Delivering Integrated Air and Missile Operational Networked Defences) alongside six Allies: France, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Sweden. We are working with these countries to agree the timetable for actions. A priority for the UK is making greater use of training and exercises opportunities, such as Exercise Formidable Shield in May 2025.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects Challenger 3 to be deployed to Estonia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As announced by the Secretary of State for Defence, the British Army will deploy Challenger 3 tanks to NATO’s eastern border along with armoured vehicles in future years. However, details relating to the fielding plan for Challenger 3 are yet to be confirmed.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on integrated air and missile defence in each financial year since 2010.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) is cross-government, multi-layered approach, utilising a wide range of advanced capabilities alongside our Allies as an international effort. There has been wide-ranging investment across the full range of IAMD capabilities since 2010, including the Sky Sabre air defence system. However, with this multi-layered, international approach, detailed investment costings for all IAMD capabilities over a fourteen year period are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding has been allocated to the European Long-range Strike Approach programme.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) is a multinational framework. Participating nations will consider capability cooperation programmes under the ELSA framework, to be funded on a case-by-case basis. The outcomes of the Strategic Defence Review will determine the UK's future programme choices.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on establishing an integrated air and missile defence system for the UK.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Air and missile defence is a 24/7, cross-Government and international effort. We take a layered approach to air and missile defence deploying a wide range of advanced capabilities alongside our Allies. Without pre-determining the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), threats from missiles and drones are advancing and proliferating, and we will explore options to enhance our preparedness for these threats as part of the SDR.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding his Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on the air protection laser self-protection system.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is working with several industry partners to generate a UK Defensive Aids Suite in order to provide Air Platform Protection for all three services. Under the banner of Team Pellonia, working with Thales, Leonardo, and Chemring Countermeasures, Air Command, supported by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), is cohering activity to generate and deliver a future suite of air platform protection measures, of which a laser self-protection system is one component. Supported by research funding from various areas within The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and now a Defence Equipment and Supply (DE&S) Programme, successful trials involving scientists from Dstl and Industry Partners on the Air Protection Laser Self-Protection System offer an example of joint working between the MOD and the UK Defence Industry.
Detailed Programme costs cannot be provided in the interests of National Security.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 444, what recent progress his Department has made on the New Medium Helicopter programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The second stage of the New Medium Helicopter competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. Only Leonardo Helicopters UK elected to submit a tender.
The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process needs to complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft will be procured through the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The second stage of the New Medium Helicopter competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK. Only Leonardo Helicopters UK elected to submit a tender.
The New Medium Helicopter competition remains sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process needs to complete before further details, including aircraft numbers, can be confirmed.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) remains a key component of international export control efforts. The Ministry of Defence continually assesses its effectiveness to ensure it continues to adapt to emerging technological developments in order to remain a relevant non-proliferation tool that strengthens international efforts to combat missile proliferation and frustrate attempts to deploy weapons of mass destruction.