Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total value is of his Department's contract to sell the retired Sentinel R1 fleet to the US.

The Defence Equipment Sales Authority has sold the retired Sentinel R1 fleet of five aircraft to a US consortium of three companies, Springfield Air, Raytheon US and Bombardier. The aircraft are not currently in an airworthy condition and the potential receipt to defence will depend upon the ability of the consortium to regenerate and fly at least one aircraft.

I am withholding the value of the sale as it may prejudice commercial interests.