§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the factors determining whether a Tornado GR1/GR1A squadron deploys to Goose Bay for training for two weeks or for three weeks.
§ Mr. HanleyThere are no specific reasons which determine whether a Tornado squadron deploys to Goose Bay for two weeks or three. Two-week deployments are generally the norm, as this is the usual period between the other north American exercises for which the aircraft are working up. If any further weeks become available however, they will be allocated, subject to other commitments, to whichever squadrons are considered likely to derive most benefit from them.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total number of hours flown by Tornado GR1 and GR1A aircraft in each year since 1980.
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§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for future tactical training developments by Royal Air Force aircraft to Eielson air force base, Alaska; and what effect such training provision will have on the nature and frequency of RAF training deployments to Goose Bay.
§ Mr. HanleyThere are no plans to change the nature of the RAF's training deployments to Alaska from the two to three exercises in which they currently participate each year. This commitment has no effect on either the nature or the frequency of deployments to Goose Bay, as the two types of training are complementary.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the dates of the Royal Air Force distant frontier training deployment to Alaska in 1993; how many aircraft, and of what types, took part; how many low-level sorties were flown by each type of aircraft; and how many squadrons sent crews for training on this deployment.
§ Mr. HanleyDetails of RAF participation in 1993 distant frontier exercises are as follows:
In addition, the RAF also took part in exercise Cope Thunder in Alaska. The details are:
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows:
Year Flying Hours 1980 135 1981 2,623 1982 8,377 1983 16,481 1984 27,104 1985 35,199 1986 44,570 1987 42,859 1988 48,035 1989 46,561 1990 48,954 1991 41,700 1992 39,392
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the provisions for quick reaction alert of Royal Air Force Tornado GR1 aircraft based in Germany since 1990.
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§ Mr. HanleyThe NATO requirement for quick reaction alert of Tornado GR1 in Germany ceased in November 1986.