Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,661–1,680 of 2,250 · Ministry of Defence
What progress Defence Equipment and Support has made on modelling the key integration challenges associated with Homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
Modelling the key integration challenges associated with Homeland Integrated Air and Missile Defence is in progress to determine the best balance for investment of the up to £1 billion of new funding announced in the Strategic Defence Review.
What manpower reduction Protector MQ-9B’s ATLC function creates by replacing the LRE capability of Reaper.
The Automatic Take Off and Land Capability (ATLC) of Protector negates the requirement for Ground Control Station (GCS), pilot, sensor operator and GCS support staff to be present at any forward operating base to conduct the take-off and landing. As Protector is operated under a different construct to Reaper, no overall direct comparison can be made.
What percentage of RAF infrastructure is more than 50 years old.
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand that considerable amounts of the defence estate is over 50 years old but the Government does not keep statistics based on age, but rather current use types. As such, we cannot provide that information without incurring disproportionate cost.
With reference to the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024/25, published on 11 August 2025, what are the key supplier issues that could impact delivery of the Challenger 3 Armour Main Battle Tank programme.
Initial Operating Capability for Challenger 3 is dependent on the delivery of hardware and software to enable the trials required to prove the final accepted build standard.
What estimate he has made of the cost of the Teutates programme.
The TEUTATES programme is part of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE). It includes the ongoing development of an interim firing point at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston site. The Technology Development Centre is also at AWE Aldermaston and is now being repurposed to support other programmes, having originally been constructed for TEUTATES.As set out in the DNE 2025 Annual Update to Parliament published on 22 May, the first X-rays by the UK-supplied Induction Voltage Adder machine were fired at the EPURE hydrodynamics facility in November 2024, marking an important Treaty milestone.I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand that I am withholding cost estimates for the programme as release would prejudice international relations.
What training is provided to space warfighters in order to (a) monitor objects in orbit, (b) detect anomalies and (c) track potential threats.
This Government recognises the importance of a long-term holistic approach to education and workforce development. UK Space Command are working closely across Government, and with industry and leading academic centres around the country to ensure a joined-up approach to addressing skills gaps in the UK space sector. Space Operators start with a Foundation Space Operations Course to prepare for their role. At No 1 Space Operations Squadron, our operators receive training to monitor and manage activities in space, including tracking objects and sharing important information. At No 2 Space Warning Squadron, they train to detect and respond to potential missile threats. Once qualified, our personnel continue with advanced training in areas like space weather, satellite communications, and tracking objects in space, often working with international partners and experts. The UK Space Academy, part of UK Space Command, provides education and training on Space, offered to international partners and allies, cross-government civil servants, military personnel, and industry.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of reconfiguring the European defence industrial base to facilitate (a) collaborative development, (b) shared production and (c) integrated logistics.
At this critical moment for the security of our continent, it is important that we work together with our European allies to strengthen our collective defence industrial base, recognising that the UK is an essential part of Europe’s security. As part of our recent Security and Defence partnership with the EU, we have agreed to explore closer co-operation and joint investment in our defence industrial base. In the first instance, the partnership creates a basis for broad consultations on defence readiness and defence industry. Preventing the fragmentation of the European defence markets is in the shared interests of the UK and the EU, both for our collective security and to allow our industry to collaborate, avoid duplication and increase standardisation.
What recent assessment he has made of UK capability to meet the full-spectrum of industrial demands posed by modern high-intensity conflict.
Through commitments made in the Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Department is investing heavily in its supply chain to develop a more, resilient, innovative and agile approach to managing and mitigating risks across the Defence enterprise. Building on the success of last year’s Industry wargame we are standing up a supply chain focussed scenario planning and wargaming capability, including a roadmap of activities to stress-test scenarios to allow us to accelerate to surge capacity during times of conflict. This strengthens operational resilience, ensuring front-line forces remain supported and mission success is not compromised, even in contested environments.
With reference to the Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question HL9397 on Typhoon Aircraft: Factories, what elements of the Typhoons ordered by Spain will be manufactured in the UK.
It is the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency who set the industrial sub-system production and workshare agreements across the partner nations. Through partner nation agreement, NETMA have set United Kingdom industrial workshare as 37%. Eurofighter GMBH manage its sub-system and component manufacturing orders from across the industrial base of each partner nation, in line with that workshare agreement percentage. Some of the major components that UK leads on the manufacturing include the front and rear fuselage, windscreen and canopy, fin and rudder, engine bay doors, foreplane and a range of major avionics systems.
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s ability to defend itself against space-based critical national infrastructure attack.
The operational effectiveness of national space-based critical infrastructure is constantly being assessed against projected operational demands and emerging threats. Where necessary, adjustments are then made across the entire MoD Space enterprise to both ground- and space-based elements, wherever its most advantageous for preserving space infrastructure capabilities. UK Space Command’s mission remains to protect and defend national and military space interests, and enable UK forces to operate globally. UK Space Command continues to work closely with both cross-Government and international allies and partners, to secure its freedom of manoeuvre and access to the space domain. As the Strategic Defence Review set out, this Government is taking decisive steps to enhance the UK’s ability to deter threats in space and, if necessary, protect our systems. This includes playing a pivotal role in strengthening European security by investing in space control capabilities and deeper collaboration with NATO and allied partners.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the emergence of Higher Airspace Operations as a domain.
Thje Ministry of Defence is engaged with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Transport in the UK Airspace Modernisation Strategy, which will consider the integration of new entrants with established airspace users. The range of potential activities and platform types being considered at high altitudes spans from hypersonic passenger flights to slow-moving, lighter-than-air platforms designed for extended loiter times, such as those used for mobile phone transmission. The integration of these platforms, along with airspace management and the provision of air traffic services, presents a significant challenge that is widely recognised on an international scale. My officials continue to work with UK and international partners through a range of working groups.
What progress the Defence Equipment and Support Space delivery team has made on researching alternatives to global positioning systems.
The Ministry of Defence continues to use GPS, but to ensure resilience we will continue to investigate alternatives. The Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Space Delivery Team continue to progress the research into alternative Global Positioning Systems. Initial investigative activity on Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing technologies has concluded, identifying a range of potential solutions for Defence use in the future. The DE&S Space Delivery Team will further investigate the potential solutions, working closely with wider Government organisations that include the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
What is the full scope of Project IRIS.
The aim of Project IRIS was to ensure the Army has the future Land Command, Control, Communications, Computers & Intelligence (C4I) capability necessary to achieve its "New Way of Winning" vision and define the pathway to a data-driven Army, within the Land Domain Deployed Digital Ecosystem (LD3E) that is appropriately transformative, scalable, secure, resilient, agile and ultimately affordable and deliverable. The project formally concluded in 2024 and lessons are being applied across Army digital programmes. Detail regarding these lessons is sensitive and cannot be released as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of widening the runway at RAF Akrotiri owing to the increased size of the aircraft that use the base.
No assessment has identified a current requirement to widen the runway at RAF Akrotiri. The existing runway infrastructure fully supports the current operational requirements of the station and remains compliant with the standards set out in the Military Aviation Authority's Regulatory Articles.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled New munitions factories and long-range weapons to back nearly 2000 jobs under Strategic Defence Review, published on 1 June 2025, what are the completion dates for the six new (a) munitions and (b) energetics factories.
The Strategic Defence Review committed to build at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently developing a plan to deliver this commitment alongside our wider Defence Industrial Strategy, delivering long-term investment to boost UK growth and generating skilled UK jobs and export opportunities. The MOD is carefully considering arrangements for those factories including potential locations, and more detail will be set out in due course. It is currently considered to be premature to discuss specific proposals or sites until the necessary preparatory work has concluded.
What progress he has made on the Ships Support project of the Naval Support Integrated Global Network programme.
The Naval Support Integrated Global Network (NSIGN) Programme continues to progress through the Assessment Phase with the NSIGN (Submarines) Project Outline Business Case (OBC) approved April 2025 and Full Business Case approval expected in early 2026. Concept work is progressing with the NSIGN(Ships) and NSIGN (Naval Bases) Projects seeking OBC approval early and mid-2026 respectively. The NSIGN Projects will enable the Ministry of Defence to contract for Submarine and enabling Naval Base services delivered through Clyde and Devonport in March 2026 and for Ships and wider Naval Base services from October 2028, with a parallel (and planned) extension of the Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP) where required, for the period March 2026 to October 2028.
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Royal Air Force’s RAVEN programme in supporting dynamic operational networking.
The Royal Air Force's RAVEN programme is a modern network which enables secure information systems to be deployed quickly into temporary operating locations worldwide. RAVEN reduces deployment time, enabling rapid response for Agile Combat Employment, Transition to Conflict and other time-critical Tasks. It also cuts workforce demand to support operational deployments. RAVEN has been used effectively on several operations and exercises including NATO Enhanced Air Policing, Operation Highmast and Operation Shader.
Whether Project Teutates is included within the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
The TEUTATES programme is part of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE). It includes the ongoing development of an interim firing point at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston site. The Technology Development Centre is also at AWE Aldermaston and is now being repurposed to support other programmes, having originally been constructed for TEUTATES.As set out in the DNE 2025 Annual Update to Parliament published on 22 May, the first X-rays by the UK-supplied Induction Voltage Adder machine were fired at the EPURE hydrodynamics facility in November 2024, marking an important Treaty milestone.I hope the hon. Gentleman will understand that I am withholding cost estimates for the programme as release would prejudice international relations.
Whether he plans to procure the General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGurdian for maritime ISR operations.
The Strategic Defence Review sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform Defence and make the UK stronger both at home and abroad. The Government endorses the Review's vision and accepts all 62 recommendations. As referenced in recommendation 46, the provision of maritime surveillance capability for Protector is currently being considered. The implementation of the Review's recommendations is underway. We will develop a new Defence Investment Plan to take onboard the Review's vision and recommendations and turn them into a delivery plan. We will ensure that this Plan is affordable, considers infrastructure and people, alongside capabilities and maximises the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy.
From where does UK Space Command recruit space warfighters.
UK Space Command is a Joint Command staffed by the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, alongside Civil Servants and contractors. Civil Service positions within the Space Enterprise are conducted as part of fair and open recruitment, and any new position will be posted on the Civil Service Jobs website. Military positions are filled as part of standard military assignment processes. UK Space Command will continue to grow in line with Government requirements.