Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that as at October 1st 2006 39 Apache helicopters were available for service and 13 were undergoing maintenance. Figures are not held centrally for the number of aircraft cannibalised.(Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that physical exports of defence equipment from the UK to the USA are reported in the Annual Reports on the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls. The figures for 2005 are: exports, £309M; imports £309M. (Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that the Programme to fit explosive suppressant foam to Hercules aircraft continued as planned and two aircraft have been fitted so far.(Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that, in replying to a question on the plans to rebnew and extend the two year contract awarded to WS Atkins for the FRES programme that a contract for the initial Assessment Phase (iAP) was awarded to Atkins in November 2004 and was originally scheduled to run for two years, completing this month. A proposal to extend this contract to July 2007 is being considered, allowing the Department to take full account of the outputs from the technology demonstration programme contracts and also to complete some additional work to mitigate risks that have emerged in the earlier stages of the iAP. (Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that, “We intend to procure tow American Predator B unmanned air vehicles. The total acquisition cost is expected to be in the region of $80M. US Congress is till to approve the Foreign Military sales Case. Definitive costs, including unit costs, will not be known until the US Air Force has replied to the UK MoD Letter of Request which is expected by the end of the year. (Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that the projected programme dates, including commissioning and in-service dates, for the future carriers will only be set following the main investment decision and when approved by Ministers. The decision has not yet been taken, and will only be taken when we know with confidence the risks, the costs and the associated contractual framework involved in building the carriers. (Source: MoD PREVIEW)

Nov 06. Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson said in a written answer that the programme as agreed with Raytheon Systems will deliver three Sentinel aircraft to RAF Waddington before the end of the financial year (March 31 2007) He said the other two will follow later in 2007. (Source: MoD PREVIEW)