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Transport Aircraft
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many transport aircraft have been chartered and leased to operate on behalf of British armed forces (a) for ISAF and (b) as part of the operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; and from which (i) sources and (ii) countries the leased aircraft have come. [52115]
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Mr. Hoon: As at 22 April, a total of 89 aircraft have been chartered/leased in support of the International Security Assistance Force. With one exception, these were sourced through UK-based commercial aircraft brokers. 69 have been provided by various Russian airlines, nine by Ukrainian airlines and nine by a Latvian airline. An Armenian airline provided an aircraft over a period. An Iranian aircraft was sourced through a commercial company based in Germany.
64 aircraft were sourced through UK-based aircraft brokers in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, 52 from a Russian and 12 from a Latvian airline.
Service Accommodation
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the responses, by percentage in each category of answer, from members of the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army in the latest available continuous attitude survey to questions regarding (i) service family accommodation and (ii) single living accommodation; and if he will make a statement. [52106]
Dr. Moonie: The purpose of the continuous attitude surveys is to ascertain the attitude of personnel towards a range of service conditions including accommodation. Senior staff and policy makers use the information gathered from the surveys to identify which policies are seen to be working and to inform subsequent policy development work.
The surveys are purely a management tool and would risk losing their significance if published out of context. It is also relevant that, in order to encourage full participation, respondents are assured of the continuing anonymity of their inputs. I am therefore withholding the information requested in accordance with Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Royal Navy
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total requirement of the Royal Navy, broken down by ship type, in (a) 1997, and (b) 2002 and planned for (c) 2007, (d) 2012 and (e) 2017; and if he will make a statement. [52113]
Mr. Ingram: The term "requirement of the Royal Navy" is not one that is generally recognised by the Ministry of Defence, however the number of Royal Navy ships and submarines in service in 1997 and 2002 as well as the currently planned numbers for 2007 are shown in the following table.
(6) HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark the new replacement landing platform docks are planned to enter service in 2003
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Beyond 2007 numbers are dependent upon continuing analysis and evaluation and upon decisions about how particular capability requirements might in future most cost-effectively be met.
Aircraft
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total requirement of the (a) RAF and (b) Royal Navy, broken down by aircraft type in (i) 1997, (ii) 2002 and planned for (iii) 2007, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2017; and if he will make a statement. [52133]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 25 April 2002]: Holdings of RAF and Royal Navy aircraft in 1997 and 2002, and planned holdings in 2007—including both operational aircraft and those in sustainment fleets but excluding aircraft operated by the Defence Procurement Agency and QinetiQ—are set out. A separate table shows the aircraft which form the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Beyond 2007, numbers are dependent upon continuing analysis and evaluation and upon decisions about how particular capability requirements might in future most cost-effectively be met. In some areas the capabilities currently provided by RAF and RN aircraft may be provided under service provision contracts with commercial partners under PFI arrangements—in these cases fleet sizes and aircraft types will normally be a matter for the service provider to determine in light of the specified requirement.
(7) Training now provided under the Light Aircraft Flying Task (LAFT) contract.
(8) Support Helicopters now form part of the Joint Helicopter Command (Army).
(9) The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) requirement to replace current fixed wing aircrew training aircraft (Tucano, Hawk, Jetstream and Dominie) will potentially be met through a PFI contract.
(10) Training now provided under contract by Defence Helicopter Flying School.
(11) Excludes RN Sea Harriers (see RN table as follows).
(12) RAF requirement excludes aircraft for RN Fleet Requirement and Aircraft Direction Unit (FRADU) tasks.
(13) The specific capability required to meet the non aircrew-training tasks currently performed by the Hawks has yet to be determined.
(14) Leased aircraft for VIP transport, current contract runs to March 2004.
(15) Cyprus SAR only until 2002, to be replaced by contractor operated aircraft from April 03.
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| Type | Total Aircraft Holding 1997 | Total Aircraft Holding 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Dakota | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane | 2 | 2 |
| Lancaster | 1 | 1 |
| Chipmunk T10 | 1 | 1 |
| Spitfire | 5 | 5 |
| Requirement | Current planning assumption | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 1997 | 2002 | 2007 |
| Gazelle | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Hawk(16) | 15 | 14 | 15 |
| Jetstream(17) | 15 | 13 | 13 |
| Light Utility | — | — | 6 |
| Helicopter | — | — | — |
| Lynx | 82 | 80 | (18)62 |
| Merlin | 2 | 38 | 41 |
| Sea Harrier(19) | 49 | 54 | 0 |
| Sea King(20) | 111 | 88 | 67 |
(16) The specific capability required to meet the tasks currently performed by the Hawks has yet to be determined.
(17) The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) requirement to replace current fixed wing training aircraft (Jetstream T2) will potentially be met through a PFI contact. Numbers and types of aircraft to meet the requirement would be a matter for the contractor. The remainder of the Jetstream aircraft (Jetstream T3), employed in the communications role, have a later OSD.
(18) Our current planning assumption is that the Lynx Mk 3 and 8 will be replaced by the Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft, in the latter part of the decade.
(19) Under the Joint Force Harrier migration plan the Sea Harrier will be withdrawn from service by Apr 2006.
(20) Our current planning assumption is that the Sea King MK4 (and Puma) will be replaced by the Support and Amphibious Battlefield Rotorcraft programme. The Anti Submarine Sea King force is being replaced by the Merlin Mk1. Numbers shown reflect this run down.
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