Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK's carrier battle groups will have a carrier-based, fully autonomous, unmanned air-to-air refuelling tanker.

The Royal Navy (RN) is exploring Fixed Wing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) as an augmentation for the F-35B Lightning jets embarked on Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) carriers. This would be as a means of providing additional strike capability and air-to-air refuelling within the Hybrid Air Wing construct. The RN will work collaboratively with the Royal Air Force to evaluate emerging solutions for this capability.

Project Vanquish, the demonstration of a short take-off and landing jet- powered ACP to a QEC carrier, was recently announced by the First Sea Lord and is the first step to realising this ambition.

Investment decisions to support Strategic Defence Review recommendations are being developed by the Ministry of Defence and will be published in the Defence Investment Plan.