Written questions by Cartlidge.

How many drones his Department plans to buy in (a) 2027, (b) 2028 and (c) 2029.

Due to operational security considerations, it is important to guard against the threat of adversary data aggregation regarding the specific detailed breakdown of UK military capability, including platform numbers and types, so it would be inappropriate to comment further. Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the future Integrated Force and set out in the Defence Investment Plan. The Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC) announced in SDR 2025, stated that it should be established by February 2026. Further announcements relating to its launch, leadership framework, location and staffing will be made in conjunction with its opening.

What is the total cost of implementing the Warfighting Ready Plan 2029.

The Royal Navy Warfighting Ready Plan 2029 offers an ambitious and strategic blueprint outlining how the Navy will strengthen and evolve its capabilities over the next four years. The plan is designed to define our strategic priorities while delivering significant transformation. This iterative and agile approach enables the Royal Navy to focus on what matters most – acting decisively where it counts, responding to threat with the urgency it demands and learning rapidly, adjusting based on the resources available. The specific financial costs will therefore be subject to capability decisions and resource choices as directed within the Defence Investment Plan.

Whether he has (a) discussed and (b) decided the numbers of British troops that could be sent to Ukraine as part of the Multinational Force Ukraine.

Operational planning is ongoing but any deployment will depend on the conditions of the ceasefire and peace talks. This Government is committed to ensuring our Armed Forces remain ready to respond to all challenges, including deployment to Ukraine.

Whether there has been a delay to the appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner.

The Armed Forces Commissioner will play a pivotal role in improving Service life for Service personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be central to delivering a trusted and effective service for our people and it is vital we get the right person for the job. It is expected that the Commissioner will be appointed next year and their office will be operational from April 2026.

Whether he has agreed the roles performed by British troops in the Multinational Force Ukraine.

The Multinational Force - Ukraine will strengthen Ukraine's path to peace and stability by securing Ukraine's skies, supporting safer seas, and regenerating Ukraine's own forces. The focus is on developing a plan to meet the requirements of the peace deal in order to support Ukraine's Armed Forces to regenerate to defend Ukraine and support European security for generations to come. Operational planning is ongoing but any deployment will depend on the conditions of the ceasefire and peace talks.

What recent steps he has taken to protect British waters from Russian submarines.

As the Strategic Defence Review outlines, there is a persistent and growing underwater threat to the UK and NATO from a modernising Russian submarine force. In response, the Ministry of Defence has announced Atlantic Bastion – the Royal Navy's programme creating an advanced hybrid naval force to defend the UK and NATO allies against this evolving threat. Atlantic Bastion will see ships, submarines, aircraft and unmanned vessels connected through AI-powered acoustic detection technology and integrated into a digital targeting web. Atlantic Bastion will enable the Armed Forces to find, track and, if required, act against adversaries with unprecedented effectiveness across vast areas of ocean. It represents a generational shift in capability and dominance in the North Atlantic.

With reference to the letter written to the Defence Committee entitled Ministry of Defence paper providing information on Defence Reform, published on 21 October 2025, if he will list the quarterly reform programme milestones for financial year 2025-26.

Defence Reform continues to make progress against its quarterly deliverables and across a variety of workstreams including the new ways of working between the four areas, design of the strategic cycles, modernised financial flows and agreed portfolio laydown. This will allow Defence Reform to finalise the unified Defence Operating model by the end of financial year 2025-26 for the next phase of implementation during financial year 2026-27. We will continue to keep Parliament updated on the progress of Defence Reform.

Whether HMS Lancaster was deemed unfit to conduct a return journey to the United Kingdom for decommissioning.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 98839 on 19 December 2025 HMS Lancaster has exceeded the 18 years lifespan she was originally built for and, with almost 35 years of outstanding service, she has reached her planned out of service date. She has been forward deployed to the Middle East for the last three years where her output has been exceptional.Rather than seek to extend her safety certification further, the Royal Navy is commencing preparations for her final disposal while she is in Bahrain. This decision has maximised operational output whilst ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of the Ships Company is paramount. As is standard practice for decommissioning ships, any material or supplies on HMS Lancaster that can be used elsewhere in the fleet will be repurposed.

What plans are in place for transportation of the ordnance on board HMS Lancaster.

HMS Lancaster has exceeded the 18 years lifespan she was originally built for and, with almost 35 years of outstanding service, she has reached her planned out of service date. As is standard practice for decommissioning ships, any material or supplies on HMS Lancaster that can be used elsewhere in the fleet will be repurposed. The ammunition will be transported using standard defence logistics pathways for the safe movement of munitions.

What measures are in place to protect British waters from future incursions by the Russian submarine Krasnodar.

The Royal Navy shadowed the Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar and its accompanying tug-boat, Altay, through the English Channel. The Krasnodar remained on the surface for the duration of her transit and operated in line with international obligations. Should the Krasnodar or any other Russian Federation Navy unit enter UK waters, Defence is poised to monitor, track and respond.As part of its core task, the Royal Navy monitors, tracks and responds to any potential threats in the UK's EEZ, through frequent patrolling by British warships, monitoring and shadowing foreign warships in UK waters, and use of the Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) programme, among other activity and capabilities. The government has also been clear on its readiness and willingness to respond decisively to any maritime threat to the UK and its interests. More broadly, the recently announced Atlantic Bastion will secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO against the persistent and growing underwater threat from a modernising Russian submarine force.

How many Class 1 Raybird systems his Department has ordered since 5 July 2024.

The Department has not ordered any Raybird systems since 5 July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether there will be any change to the amount of training exercises conducted by the Royal Air Force in financial year (a) 2025-2026, (b) 2026-2027, (c) 2027-2028 and (d) 2028-2029.

As outlined in my previous response, the single Services remain committed to prioritising training exercises in alignment with both our own and partners' operational needs, as well as the priorities outlined in the Strategic Defence Review The exact number of training exercises and the scale of the RAF's participation in such exercises vary from year to year due to a range of factors including operational commitments and UK and host nation political considerations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Royal Navy overseas training exercises that will be reduced over the next four years.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Whether he has changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagements in light of the incursion by the Russian submarine Krasnodar.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 November 2025, to Question 93047. The Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence continuously assess our Rules of Engagement to ensure our Armed Forces can act appropriately against malign activities and future threats. For reasons of national security, I am not able to disclose specific detail on Rules of Engagement.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether the reduction in Army overseas training exercises from financial year 2026-27 will result in the retirement of any military platforms.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the countries in which Army overseas training exercises will be reduced from financial year 2026-27.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the Army overseas training exercises that will be reduced from financial year 2026-27.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, whether the scale back of the Royal Navy's participation in overseas training will result in the early retirement of any Royal Navy vessels.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December to Question 95413 on Military Exercises, if he will list the countries in which Royal Navy overseas training exercises will be reduced over the next four years.

Our overseas training programme is kept under review to ensure it reflects Defence priorities and operational requirements, both for the UK and our partners. The programme is inherently dynamic and decisions taken one year do not determine activity in future years. This approach allows the Services to select the most appropriate activities to meet current training needs. This approach ensures flexibility, avoids duplication, and delivers value for money while maintaining our ability to meet NATO and wider operational commitments. The decision of whether to participate in an exercise would not impact plans to retire individual vessels, nor would it impact upon plans to retire military platforms.

How many AI contracts have been awarded by his Department since 5 July 2024.

The Department can confirm that from 5 July 2024, two AI contracts have been awarded. However, many more contracts, not classified as AI will contain elements of AI as part of a contemporary service offer.