§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by date, for the last 48 months, and by airfield the number of Lockheed U-2R aircraft missions that have been made from Royal Air Force stations; if the aircraft missions were(a) arriving or (b) departing from the station; and if he will make a statement. [39533]
§ Mr. SoamesUnited States air force U-2R reconnaissance aircraft have conducted a number of missions in support of NATO and UN peacekeeping and humanitarian aid operations from RAF stations. With the closure of RAF Alconbury's runway on 31 March 1995, the U-2Rs were temporarily transferred to RAF Fairford to continue this mission. However, it is not our policy to comment in further detail on operational matters.