§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he will be receiving a report on the recent NATO exercise " Elder Forest 80 ";
(2) what types of aircraft were used by the United Kingdom in the recent " Elder Forest 80 " exercise;
(3) how many aircraft were used by the United Kingdom in the recent NATO " Elder Forest 80 " exercise.
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§ Mr. PattieThe RAF aircraft participating in Exercise Elder Forest were primarily the air defence forces, comprising the interceptor, airborne early warning and tanker squadrons listed in annex C of volume I of the " Statement on the Defence Estimates 1980 " (Cmnd 7826–1), supplemented by Hunter and Hawk aircraft in the local air defence role. In addition some RAF Jaguars, Canberras and Vulcans were included in the attacking forces. The results of the exercise are still being evaluated and I expect to receive a report as soon as this has been done. I shall then consider how much information it would be in the public interest to release.