Tag: Angus Robertson

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) personnel and (b) assets are participating in NATO’s Baltic Regional Training Events in 2014; and what (i) personnel and (ii) assets participated in the events in each of the last three years.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The UK is currently reviewing our contribution to national and NATO exercises in the Baltic Region in 2014; final decisions have not yet been made.

    There are no central records for 2011 and 2012. However, in 2013 the UK provided 124 personnel to the following exercises involving NATO allies:

    Exercise Sabre Strike 13, Latvia 1-14 June 2013.

    Exercise Kevadtorm 13, Estonia 14-25 May 2013.

    In addition the UK provided one mine counter measure vessel (ship’s company of 40 personnel) to:

    Exercise Steadfast Jazz 13, Baltic Sea, November 2013.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work is required to the docks at Portsmouth to accommodate the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2013 (Official Report, column 400W) to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr Mike Hancock).

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will answer question 188564 tabled on 13 February 2014 for Answer on 24 February 2014, and question 188387 tabled on 12 February 2014 for Answer on 26 February 2014.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I responded to the hon. Member today.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what maintenance HMS Montrose will undergo before being assigned to the Fleet Ready Escort task; and whether such tasking after a long deployment is a regular occurrence.

    Mr Mark Francois

    HMS Montrose was previously deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. She returned to the UK for a period of planned maintenance and post-deployment leave before conducting a short port visit in London and then participating in a NATO Exercise.

    Royal Navy ships are programmed in accordance with our operational requirements, but for security reasons we do not discuss specific future operational tasking.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what event or risk involving a Tornado aircraft led to the approval of the Collision Warning Technology Demonstrator Programme for that aircraft; when that event or risk was identified; and where it is recorded.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Collision Warning System (CWS) Technical Demonstrator Programme (TDP) Final Report dated October 1996 details that the CWS TDP resulted from a series of airborne collisions involving various types of fast jets in the years prior to 1991. Although the TDP was evaluated using a Tornado GR1 test aircraft, the objective was to evaluate the CWS concept across all of the fast jet operational training environment.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost was of the Nimrod MR4A programme; and what payments were made to each company involved in the programme after 20 October 2012.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor (Peter Luff) on 15 November 2011 (Official Report, column 743W).

    The Nimrod MR4A aircraft programme was cancelled in November 2010, after only one aircraft was delivered which was subsequently grounded due to safety concerns.

    Available financial information has not identified payments relating to the programme to any company after 20 October 2012.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the results were of the recent interoperability training between RAF 41 (reserve) Test and Evaluation Squadron training with Swedish Air Force and their JAS39C Gripen aircraft.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The visiting Swedish aircraft were from the Swedish Air Combat Training School. This visit enabled both parties to conduct tactical development of our respective operational test and evaluation processes. It also provided a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences in this area.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether both Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers can be docked at Portsmouth Harbour simultaneously.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Yes. Significant new investment in HM Naval Base Portsmouth, including the strengthening of jetties, installing new power supplies and other infrastructure changes is required to accommodate both carriers. This work has already commenced and will continue to expand. The initial capability will be completed in time for the arrival of the first of class, HMS Queen Elizabeth, at her home port.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s agreement in principle for three offshore patrol vessels with BAE Systems.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2013 (Official Report, column 401W).

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what modifications to the original design of the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers were necessary to accommodate repeated vertical landings by the Joint Strike Fighter; what estimate he has made of the heat produced by vertical landing by the Joint Strike Fighter which has the heaviest safe configuration to allow the procedure; and whether vertical landings can take place on any flat area of the carrier deck.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The ability of the ship to support F-35B vertical landings has been incorporated into the design of Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carrier from the outset. Environmental considerations including heat generation & dissipation have been thoroughly evaluated, including assessments from trials on the USS Wasp. UK assessments have covered all necessary aircraft configurations.

    The QEC Flight Deck has been designed with specific operating spots for vertical landing to deliver maximum Sortie Generation Rate. These are the spots where the F-35B will plan to land vertically on a routine basis. If required, in the event of an emergency the whole flight deck can support vertical landing.