§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Royal Air Force conducted joint exercises with the Russian Air Force during the last five years. [48576]
§ Mr. George RobertsonThe Royal Air Force has not exercised with the Russian Air Force during the last five years, although RAF aircraft have exercised with Russian aircraft belonging to other parts of the Russian Armed Forces. The RAF contributed a C-130 aircraft and 19 personnel from the Tactical Medical Wing to the NATO Exercise, Cooperative Bear between 1–5 September 1997474W in Sweden, which also involved a Russian IL 76 aircraft and 32 medical personnel from the Russian Emergency Command.