HC Deb 22 April 1988 vol 131 c578W
Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any plans to replace the Hunter and Canberra aircraft currently in service with the fleet requirements and air direction unit by civilian-registered aircraft.

Mr. Freeman

There are at present no plans to replace these aircraft with civilian-registered aircraft.

Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Falcon 20DC aircraft are provided to support military training under the terms of his Department's contract with Flight Refuelling Ltd. for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit; and whether the contract gives his Department exclusive use of those aircraft.

Mr. Freeman

There are 16 Falcon 20 aircraft used to support military training. The Department has first call, but use is not exclusive.

Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Dassault Falcon 20DC aircraft are operated by the fleet requirements and air direction unit; when these aircraft entered service; and which type of military aircraft they replaced.

Mr. Freeman

The fleet requirements and air direction unit operates 16 Falcon 20 aircraft. They entered service between February 1985 and February 1987 and they replaced a number of the Hunter and Canberra aircraft used to support military training.

Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department's current contract with Flight Refuelling Ltd. for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit expires.

Mr. Freeman

There are three current contracts which expire in 1992.

Mr. Macdonald

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibility he has for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit.

Mr. Freeman

The Secretary of State for Defence is responsible for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit, which provides a service to national and NATO forces under the control of the flag officer naval air command. It is manned and operated under contract to the MOD by Flight Refuelling Ltd.