HC Deb 09 March 1998 vol 308 c39W
16. Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the integral heavy lift air transport capability within the RAF in recent middle east operations. [31418]

Mr. George Robertson

The recent deployment of UK forces to the Middle East was supported by RAF owned air transport assets. These were augmented by the charter of Antonov 124 aircraft.

On the more general question of our assessment of the effectiveness of our air transport fleet, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 December 1997, Official Report, column 11.