§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the results of his Department's investigations into the seven Tornado GR 1s lost during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonA summary of the findings of the investigations into the circumstances in which six Tornado GR1 aircraft were lost in combat during air operations against Iraq was placed in the Library of the House on 15 October. A seventh Tornado GR I was lost on 20 January 1991 shortly after take off from Tabuk in Saudi Arabia on an operational mission. Both crew ejected, suffering minor injuries. Investigations concluded that the aircraft suffered a major control restriction which denied the crew the ability to land safely. The cause of the restriction could not, however, be positively determined.