§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list how many aircraft and by type were employed during exercise Red Lanyard; how many service personnel were engaged; what types of other ancillary equipment were employed; what were the locations of bases and the area covered; what is the projected estimated cost to public funds; and what were the aims and objectives of the exercise.
§ Mr. NeubertExercise Red Lanyard was designed to rehearse the procedures that the services would use should they be called upon to assist in the safe evacuation of British subjects from a trouble spot overseas. A maximum of 15 C130 Hercules aircraft were employed, with two Chinook and one Puma helicopters. Up to 750 Army and 180 RAF personnel were involved at any one time. Ancillary equipment employed included Landrovers, associated trailers, Fox and Scorpion armoured vehicles and guns. The exercise proper took place on the Standford training area in Norfolk; the C130 Hercules aircraft used RAF airfields at Lyneham and Watton. This execise was not costed separately and it is not possible to derive the financial information requested except at disproportionate cost.