Helicopters (Hansard, 20 May 1992)

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troop-carrying helicopters were permanently assigned to each helicopter-equipped RAF air transport squadron in each year since 1979.
189W

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
This information is not held in the form requested, and could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the transport capability of No. 72 Squadron, RAF, will be reduced as a result of the reorganisation of the RAF's support helicopter fleet.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The Wessex helicopters operated by number 72 Squadron, RAF, based at RAF Aldergrove, are currently in the process of being reinforced by the larger Puma helicopters of 230 Squadron, which are redeploying from RAF Gutersloh. This is allowing us to reduce the numbers of older Wessex helicopters deployed in Northern Ireland, while providing a net increase in helicopter transport capability in the Province.

Mr. O'Neill
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has concerning the number of troop-carrying helicopters permanently assigned to helicopter-equipped transport units in(a) the German armed forces, and (b) the United States armed forces.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The latest unclassified information that we have is that some 300 and 3,200 troop-carrying helicopters are actively employed by German and US armed forces respectively.