6 Feb 24. Defence Sub-Committee opens evidence hearings on the UK’s AI defence capacity and expertise. On Tuesday 20 February the House of Commons Defence Sub-Committee will open oral evidence in its inquiry into the UK’s artificial intelligence capacity and expertise in national defence.
In this opening session the Sub-Committee will hear from experts and analysts in the fields of defence and emerging technologies, setting the stage for the inquiry with an impartial overview of the current state of the UK defence AI sector.
The session will also explore current UK strengths, expertise and capacity in the field of defence AI, and how the Ministry of Defence (MOD) can support the growth of cutting-edge AI by helping the UK sector attract investment, recruit the best talent, and access opportunities for collaboration with allies through the AUKUS partnership. The Committee will also examine the Government’s Defence AI Strategy and the work of MOD’s Defence AI Centre.
At 10:30am:
- James Black, Assistant Director of the Defence and Security research group at RAND Europe
- Dr Simona Soare, Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University
- Air Marshal (Retd) Edward Stringer
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the £2.5 bn military aid for Ukraine in 2024-25, announced on 12 January 2024, whether that funding includes his Department’s operational costs for NATO bases.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
As in previous years, we expect the £2.5bn to cover a broad range of support to Ukraine including rapid procurement and gifting of equipment, development of international capability coalitions and training support through Op INTERFLEX. Precise allocations will be decided before the beginning of the next financial year in April.
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the £2.5 bn military aid for Ukraine in 2024-25, announced on 12 January 2024, whether that funding includes his Department’s operational costs.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
As in previous years, we expect the £2.5bn to cover a broad range of support to Ukraine including rapid procurement and gifting of equipment, development of international capability coalitions and training support through Op INTERFLEX. Precise allocations will be decided before the beginning of the next financial year in April.
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the £2.5 bn military aid for Ukraine in 2024-25, announced on 12 January 2024, if he will provide a breakdown of how he plans to divide that funding.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
As in previous years, we expect the £2.5bn to cover a broad range of support to Ukraine including rapid procurement and gifting of equipment, development of international capability coalitions and training support through Op INTERFLEX. As previously announced, £200 m of the £2.5 bn will be spent on thousands of military drones for Ukraine. Precise allocations will be decided before the beginning of the next financial year in April.
Patrol Craft
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost for his Department was of was the Batch II River-class offshore patrol vessels.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
In regard of contract values for the Batch 1 and Batch 2 Type 26 Frigates, the Type 31 Frigates, and the Batch II River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 December 2023 to Question 4914 and to the answer I gave on 7 February 2024 to Question 12110 to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Kenny MacAskill).
Other relevant costs include a contract worth some £70m awarded to Thales for the provision of equipment and technical services for a Type 31 shore-based mission test and integration facility.
I am withholding the wider programme costs including the costs for capability insertion and Government Furnished Equipment for the two Frigate programmes project as its disclosure could be prejudicial to the commercial interests of our industrial partners, BAES Systems and Babcock.
Military Aircraft
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the timeline for the Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) Recapitalisation Phase 2 programme.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
The 30-month contract extension was successfully awarded to Centreline Aviation Ltd for operation of the two MOD Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) Envoy Falcon 900LX aircraft to September 2026.
The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) for the competition of CSAT Envoy Recapitalisation Phase 2 programme was released to industry on 12 December 2023, with strong industry return of interest to date.
The MOD will evaluate the PQQ responses and confirm its choice to industry bidders during May 2024. The subsequent Invitation to Tender remains in progress and is due to be released to industry in January 2025. The CSAT Phase 2 Full Business Case is scheduled for Investment Approvals Committee in January 2026, with transition to full military registration/operated service for both aircraft due to commence from July 2026.
Military Aircraft: Helicopters
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status of the New Medium Helicopter programme is as of 2 February 2024.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
Positive progress is being made towards launching the next stage of the competition, and we are currently in the process of securing final cross-Government approval.
Maritime Patrol Aircraft: Torpedoes
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for integrating the Sting Ray Torpedo onto the Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 13 February 2024
Integration of Sting Ray Mod 1 has commenced. The associated schedule is still being developed, but the intent is to integrate this sovereign capability at the earliest opportunity.