Mallet Blow Exercises (Hansard, 30 March 1990)

§ Mr. Jack Thompson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the years 1975 to 1989(a) the number of Mallet Blow exercises, (b) the number of missions in each exercise, (c) the types of aircraft involved in each and (d) the accidents involving low flying in each exercise.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Exercise Mallet Blow was not introduced until 1980. Records of exercises since that date330W have not been retained in their entirety. I am able, however, to supply the following details of Mallet Blow exercises since 1984:

Exercise Missions flown Offensive aircraft types¹

Mallet Blow 84/1 66 A-10, Harrier, Jaguar, Tornado, F-111

Mallet Blow 84/2 42 A-10, Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado, F-111

Mallet Blow 84/3 139 A-10, F-111, Draken, Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier

Mallet Blow 84/4 83 Draken, Tornado, A-10, F-111, Harrier, Jaguar

Mallet Blow 85/1 77 Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, F16, A-10, F-111, Dracken, Buccaneer

Mallet Blow 85/2 88 Jaguar, Tornado, Harrier, F-16, Draken, RF-4, F-111

Mallet Blow 85/3 73 Tornado, Jaguar, Draken, F-111, Harrier, A-10

Mallet Blow 86/1 42 Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, Draken, F-111

Mallet Blow 86/2 123 Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-16, F-111, Buccaneer

Mallet Blow 86/3 63 Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado, Draken, F-5, F-16, F-111, Mirage, F-18

Mallet Blow 86/4 85 Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier

Mallet Blow 87/1 60 Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Drakm, F-111

Mallet Blow 87/2 133 Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-16, F-111

Mallet Blow 87/3 12 Harrier, F-111, Tornado, Jaguar

Mallet Blow 88/1 86 Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Draken, F-111

Mallet Blow 88/2 100 Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-111

Mallet Blow 89/1 74 Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, Draken, A-10

Mallet Blow 89/2 193 Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-111, F-16, F-18

¹ A number of other support aircraft (tankers, air defence fighters and airborne early-warning aircraft) participate in Mallet Blow exercises but these do not take part in low-level flying in the Otterburn area.

There have been two major accidents to low-flying aircraft involved in Mallet Blow exercises: a German air force Tornado aircraft crashed during Mallet Blow 86/4, and two RAF Harrier aircraft collided in mid-air during Mallet Blow 87/3.

§ Mr. Jack Thompson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases where aircraft involved in the Mallet Blow exercise from 26 to 31 March will fly from.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Aircraft participating in Exercise Mallet Blow 90/1 from 26 to 30 March 1990 will fly from the following bases:

RAF Brize Norton

RAF Coltishall

RAF Coningsby

RAF Cottesmore

RAF Honington

RAF Leeming

RAF Leuchars

RAF Linton-on-Ouse

RAF Marham

RAF Waddington

RAF Wattisham

RAF Wittering

A & AEE Boscombe Down

RAF Alconbury

RAF Bentwaters

RAF Lakenheath

RAF Upper Heyford

RAF Bruggen

RAF Laarbruch

331W

RAF Gutersloh

GAF Büchel

GAF Bremgarten

GAF Leck

GAF Norvenich

NAEWF Geilenkirchen

§ Mr. Jack Thompson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of the Mallet Blow exercise from 26 to 31 March.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The full costs of individual exercises are not kept centrally and their calculation would involve disproportionate cost and effort.

Exercise	Missions flown	Offensive aircraft types¹
Mallet Blow 84/1	66	A-10, Harrier, Jaguar, Tornado, F-111
Mallet Blow 84/2	42	A-10, Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado, F-111
Mallet Blow 84/3	139	A-10, F-111, Draken, Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier
Mallet Blow 84/4	83	Draken, Tornado, A-10, F-111, Harrier, Jaguar
Mallet Blow 85/1	77	Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, F16, A-10, F-111, Dracken, Buccaneer
Mallet Blow 85/2	88	Jaguar, Tornado, Harrier, F-16, Draken, RF-4, F-111
Mallet Blow 85/3	73	Tornado, Jaguar, Draken, F-111, Harrier, A-10
Mallet Blow 86/1	42	Harrier, Tornado, Jaguar, Draken, F-111
Mallet Blow 86/2	123	Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-16, F-111, Buccaneer
Mallet Blow 86/3	63	Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado, Draken, F-5, F-16, F-111, Mirage, F-18
Mallet Blow 86/4	85	Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier
Mallet Blow 87/1	60	Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Drakm, F-111
Mallet Blow 87/2	133	Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-16, F-111
Mallet Blow 87/3	12	Harrier, F-111, Tornado, Jaguar
Mallet Blow 88/1	86	Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, Draken, F-111
Mallet Blow 88/2	100	Tornado, Harrier, Jaguar, F-111
Mallet Blow 89/1	74	Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, Draken, A-10
Mallet Blow 89/2	193	Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-111, F-16, F-18
¹ A number of other support aircraft (tankers, air defence fighters and airborne early-warning aircraft) participate in Mallet Blow exercises but these do not take part in low-level flying in the Otterburn area.