Written questions by Cartlidge.

When the next Chief of the Defence Staff will be announced.

Future appointments will be announced in due course.

Whether there has been any delay to the refitting of HMS Trent.

There has been no delay to HMS TRENT's refit. She started a capability refit in October 2024, which completed in December 2024. This was followed by a Capability Insertion Period, which is now complete. HMS Trent is currently undergoing planned force generation and machinery trials alongside in Malta, before proceeding to sea in mid-May.

How many personnel are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.

As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to the provision of fuel tanker drivers in the instance of a national shortage (Op ESCALIN). Of these 1,600 personnel, 900 are held at extremely high readiness within the UK Standby Battalions for domestic resilience tasks. This responsibility rotates through units and, as of 23 April 2025, is held by personnel from across the Army including the infantry, cavalry, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. We take resilience tasks to mean operations designed to provide assistance to the civil authorities where there is either a capacity or skillset shortfall, excluding the provision of additional security in the instance of a significant terrorist attack.

What units are currently held at readiness for UK resilience tasks.

As of the 23 April 2025, Defence holds c. 1,600 personnel at readiness for operations designed to support UK resilience. The tasks they are attributed to are wide ranging, from support in the instance of flooding (provided by the UK Standby Battalions) to the provision of fuel tanker drivers in the instance of a national shortage (Op ESCALIN). Of these 1,600 personnel, 900 are held at extremely high readiness within the UK Standby Battalions for domestic resilience tasks. This responsibility rotates through units and, as of 23 April 2025, is held by personnel from across the Army including the infantry, cavalry, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. We take resilience tasks to mean operations designed to provide assistance to the civil authorities where there is either a capacity or skillset shortfall, excluding the provision of additional security in the instance of a significant terrorist attack.

What progress his Department has made on the Martlet programme.

The Martlet programme achieved Initial Operating Capability in October 2021 and is on track to reach Full Operating Capability in Summer 2025. Martlet has been in regular use including successful firings in support of training and trials and has been deployed on operations such as OP KIPION. The capability will provide force protection for OP HIGHMAST in 2025.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Challenger 3 programme.

The Armour Main Battle Tank programme will deliver Challenger 3. The programme has now delivered four prototypes, with four more currently in build, trials have already proven Challenger 3’s basic firing capability, mechanical design, and structural strength. The next set of trials are due to start in Quarter 2 2025. Among the improvements underway which will significantly enhance Challenger 3’s performance over Challenger 2, the programme is working under a bilateral UK/Germany agreement to qualify Enhanced Kinetic Energy ammunition.

What recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Mensa programme.

The MENSA programme has presented several challenges which have resulted in cost growth and delays. The programme is nearing the end of its construction and commissioning stage, which is reflected by the Amber rating in the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report 2023-24.

With reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 1 April 2025 on Defence Reform, HCWS573, whether the National Armaments Director Group is a non-departmental public body.

No.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance programme.

The Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) programme will deliver a suite of new sensor systems and enable a digitalised Army, by fusing data sources and ensuring capacity for effective and faster decision-making. At the core of the programme is project ZODIAC, which will provide the digital infrastructure required to network our sensors into a fused intelligence picture that is displayed across the network and automate our intelligence collection and analytical processes. The ZODIAC Minimum Viable Product was delivered to 3 (UK) Division in 2024. Following a period of continuous development, enabled by the agile nature of the project, it will deliver the backbone of the Divisional ISTAR system for the forthcoming Warfighter Exercise in the US in May 2025.The TIQUILA project will provide a new Uncrewed Air System (UAS) to support Brigade and Divisional Operations. It has now achieved its Initial Operating Capability, delivering three trained and equipped detachments into the Joint Aviation Command (JAC). TIQUILA is on schedule to reach Full Operating Capability by mid-2026, which will deliver a further 21 detachments that are fully integrated into the ZODIAC system. Under TIQUILA's spiral upgrade programme, platforms will be fitted with resilient hardware and Long-Range Antennas, enabling them to operate in Global Navigation Satellite Systems-denied environments with greater reach.

What recent progress his Department has made on the New Medium Helicopter programme.

The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) Programme is an initiative to acquire a modern medium-lift support helicopter, addressing multiple rotary wing requirements to improve efficiency and operational flexibility. The NMH programme is part of a wider holistic approach on the Ministry of Defence's use of rotary wing capability. The tender evaluation remains ongoing and will complete before a commitment decision is made. All capability requirements, including NMH, are being considered as part of the Strategic Defence Review process.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Collective Training Transformation Programme.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 February 2025 to Question 29128 to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey).

What recent progress his Department has made on the RCH 155 programme.

The Mobile Fires Platform project team will deliver the Remote Controlled Howitzer (RCH) 155 gun system this decade. The team continue to investigate opportunities to accelerate procurement and are working with industry to generate a costed proposal. While the Army’s modernisation will continue over the next decade with a programme of investment worth billions of pounds, future capability development priorities will be guided by the Strategic Defence Review.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Future Materials Campus programme.

The Future Materials Campus consolidates the delivery of several complex infrastructure projects at AWE Aldermaston. These will renew existing facilities for the manufacture and storage of nuclear materials, provide improved science and analysis capabilities, and invest in new capabilities for nuclear material recovery. The Programme remains in an early phase of its delivery, as reflected by the Amber rating in the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report 2023-24.

What recent assessment he has made of the progress of the Ground Based Air Defence programme.

The Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) programme strives to modernise Defence’s ground-based air defence capabilities in the face of rapidly developing threats and is a high priority for the Army. This includes the development of an integrated layered air defence system comprising countering Small Air Targets, Short and Medium Range Air Defence. The programme is now working towards an Initial Operating Capability of Medium Range Air Defence for warfighting by July 2026. This includes two Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Centres, and two enhanced Wireless Enabled Network sets. By June 2027, a further 800 Thales (Belfast) lightweight multi role missiles (LMM) will also be procured. The programme has begun to deliver Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) capability for dismounted close combat forces, albeit in relatively low numbers. The focus is now switching to higher level UAS detect and non-kinetic systems, and upgrades to vehicle mounted weapon systems to enable them to engage UAS.

Whether there will be equal levels of single service representation for (a) the National Armaments Director Group and (b) its supporting staff.

It is too early to specify the overall staffing requirements and Service representation levels for the new organisational structure created as part of Defence Reform. This will be subject to refinement as planned implementation continues, and in response to operational and policy requirements as they emerge. It is, however, anticipated that the guiding principle of military post rotation within the single Services will continue to apply in the new structure.

Whether there will be an equal level of single Service representation for the (a) Military Strategic Headquarters and (b) its supporting staff.

It is too early to specify the overall staffing requirements and Service representation levels for the new organisational structure created as part of Defence Reform. This will be subject to refinement as planned implementation continues, and in response to operational and policy requirements as they emerge. It is, however, anticipated that the guiding principle of military post rotation within the single Services will continue to apply in the new structure.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Boxer programme.

The Mechanised Infantry (Boxer) programme has made significant progress with all five standalone prototypes having been delivered and trials performing well. Support and training plans are also well underway. 24 of 623 series production vehicles have now been contractually delivered to MOD. Over 100 are in production across Germany and UK factories with the first UK made Boxer unveiled in January, a major milestone for our Land Industrial Strategy. We now expect a steady progression of vehicles month on month, completing industry production, test and acceptance by MOD and delivery into Field Army users for training to ramp up this year.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Land Environment Tactical Communication and Information Systems programme.

The Land Environment Tactical Communication and Information Systems (LETacCIS) programme will deliver the next generation of tactical military communications in the land environment. The programme consists of multiple complex projects delivering new capabilities over time as opposed to a single milestone. Most recently, the programme has seen progress in three projects: The Multi-Mode Radio (MMR) project achieved Full Operating Capability in November 2024. This milestone saw 1,360 radios, ancillaries and batteries delivered into service, significantly boosting the communication capabilities of our joint forces and increasing interoperability with our key allies. Project TRINITY will conduct a Manufacturing Data Readiness Design Review in June 2025. This is an essential step in the Demonstration phase, allowing the project to progress towards the Manufacture phase. The Land Deployable Gateway (LDGv2) project is on contract with General Dynamics Mission Systems (UK) and will deliver an improved gateway solution from September 2025. LDGv2 will deliver new hardware, software and security upgrades, providing significant capability enhancements that ensure interoperability with NATO partners.

What recent progress his Department has made on the Crowsnest Programme.

The Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 Airborne Surveillance and Control helicopter, as delivered by the CROWSNEST programme, achieved Full Operating Capability as of 29 March 2025. It is currently preparing to embark on the upcoming Carrier Strike Group 2025 deployment (Op HIGHMAST).

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of UK sovereign capability in the framework agreement for the procurement of Personal Hard Armour to support British Armed Forces personnel.

The Personal Hard Armour Framework will facilitate the procurement of personal ballistic protection through the pre-approval of suppliers and will deliver agility, consistency, and financial savings in the procurement of personal hard armour – while encouraging innovation and optimising organisational outputs. Assessment of UK sovereign capability continues to inform our market interaction, including a recent small-and medium-sized enterprise engagement day, with further activity planned. A key objective of setting up and promoting the framework is to broaden and strengthen our supply base for Personal Hard Armour, giving the UK the potential to surge and meet evolving demands.