§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many weapons, and of what types, were dropped by Royal Air Force aircraft during training from Canadian forces base Goose bay in each year since 1989.
§ Mr. HanleyNumbers of practice weapons dropped in the southern low-level training area weapons range are as follows:
1992 1993 Inert 1,000 lb bombs 285 100 Inert 28 lb practice bombs 315 180 There is no regulatory requirement to hold records of weapons expended for more than one year; details of weapons dropped in the years before 1992 are therefore not available.
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§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the requirements of(a) Royal Air Force Tornado GR1 units and (b) Royal Air Force Tornado F3 units for use of medium level airspace for training at Canadian forces base Goose bay.
§ Mr. HanleyThe RAF's principal requirement for training at Goose bay is to enable Tornado GR1s to practice operational low flying and to conduct day/night, all-weather, terrain-following radar operations. There is, therefore, no requirement for Tornado GR1s to operate in medium-level airspace other than on the rare occasions when aircraft require an air test. Tornado F3s deployed to Goose bay would not plan to operate regularly at medium level, although they may do so from time to time in support of the low-level training sorties of other aircraft.