Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many years the Head of Carrier Enabled Power Projection has spent serving on aircraft carriers.

Carrier Enabled Power Projection (CEPP) is a joint programme, bringing together the Carriers, F-35B aircraft and Merlin Crowsnest helicopters. The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for CEPP is the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Capability), who is directly accountable to the Permanent Under Secretary for Defence for the coherent delivery of the overall CEPP capability.

The principal skill set required by the SRO is leadership and experience in delivering complex programmes across Defence. Specialist experience of carrier air operations is provided by the individual SROs for the Carrier and F35B projects (Royal Navy and Royal Air Force officers, respectively), both of whom have significant experience of carrier air operations.

The CEPP SRO is also directly supported by a Programme Director (a Rear Admiral (aviator)), an Air Commodore, and a small joint staff with significant maritime and combat air experience.