§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans have been made for further out-of-area exercises in the United Kingdom in 1988;
(2) when planning for Exercise Purple Warrior was commenced;
(3) what is the total number of aircraft participating in Exercise Purple Warrior;
(4) at what stage in the planning of Exercise Purple Warrior it was decided to involve Canberra, Chinook and Puma aircraft in the exercise;
(5) what is the estimated total cost of Exercise Purple Warrior, including the cost of exercise operations conducted by units not currently assigned to an out-of-area role.
§ Mr. Ian StewartDetailed planning for Exercise Purple Warrior began in January 1986. The total number of aircraft, both fixed and rotary-winged, currently scheduled to take part in the exercise, including those operating from the Royal Navy vessels participating, is 116. The inclusion of RAF Canberra, Chinook and Puma aircraft was decided at an early stage of the exercise planning. The estimated costs of Exercise Purple Warrior (additional to those which would have been incurred had the exercise not been taking place) are £7.5 million; the costs of exercise activity by individual participating units have not been separately identified. There are no current plans for further out-of-area exercises to be held in the United Kingdom in 1988, although the services will continue to train in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to carry out the full range of their military commitments.
§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned total number of low-level sorties to be 924W flown by (a) fixed-wing jet aircraft, (b) fixed-wing transport aircraft and (c) helicopters during Exercise Purple Warrior.
§ Mr. FreemanThe planned maximum numbers of low-level sorties to be flown daily overland during Exercise Purple Warrior are as follows:
Number Fixed-wing jet aircraft about 88 Fixed wing transport aircraft about 2 Helicopters about 200
§ Mr. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether fuel allocations for units undertaking training for a NATO role will be increased in the current year to compensate for fuel expended during Exercise Purple Warrior.
§ Mr. Ian StewartNo. Exercises such as Purple Warrior are already taken into account when fuel requirements for all units are assessed each year, and allocations are made accordingly.