§ 29. Mr. George OsborneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of the equipment available to the British armed forces for conflict in desert terrain. [76723]
§ Mr. IngramThe recent Exercise SAIF SAREEA 2 allowed us to identify and assess the challenge our armed forces could face when operating in testing desert conditions. This major exercise enabled us to evaluate strengths and indicated where we might make improvements to our equipment and procedures. As a result of the post-exercise evaluation, we are carrying out equipment enhancement programmes to meet the demands of desert environments.