Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many helicopters will be operationally available to the UK armed forces to perform the casualty evacuation role between 2027 and 2030.

The Ministry of Defence continually reviews platform capabilities to ensure that current and future Defence requirements are met.

Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) is a military task rather than a capability delivered by a single helicopter type, and Defence maintains a range of rotary-wing platforms that can be employed to support casualty evacuation as required.

At present, CASEVAC capability is provided by the Chinook, Merlin Mk4/4A, Wildcat AH Mk1 and Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopter fleets. As announced in the Defence Investment Plan, Wildcat AH Mk1 is planned to be withdrawn from service from 2027.

Decisions on the helicopter platforms that will be available to perform the CASEVAC role between 2027 and 2030 will be taken in accordance with Defence capability requirements and operational needs, which are kept under regular review.

The number of helicopters available to undertake a CASEVAC task at any given time is not fixed and will vary according to operational commitments, maintenance requirements, training activity and force readiness levels. The Department does not disclose detailed readiness or availability information, as doing so could prejudice the operational effectiveness and security of the Armed Forces.