Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of Watchkeeper Mk 1 on the 47th Regiment Royal Artillery.

The Army will procure a modern Land Tactical Deep Find (LTDF) capability to replace the 14 years old Watchkeeper Mk 1 capability following its retirement from March 2025. This procurement will leverage lessons from Ukraine and emerging technologies to deliver a capability direct to NATO’s front line. Plans currently identify that 47 Regiment Royal Artillery will continue to deliver the Army’s Deep Find capability by turning their skills and experience from Watchkeeper Mk 1 to lead on fielding the new Deep Find capability. Plans for the Watchkeeper capability following its phased withdrawal from service are in development.