§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of manned and unmanned aircraft or air vehicles were lost during operations over Kosovo in 1999; and what is their replacement value. [101862]
§ Mr. HoonOver the 78 days of Operation Allied Force, the UK lost 12 Phoenix Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) although only two of these were lost to direct enemy air defence activity. Additionally, one RAF C-130 Hercules was lost outside Yugoslav airspace.
The approximate capital cost of the RAF C-130 aircraft is £15 million at 1998 prices. The original cost of the 12 Phoenix UAVs was in the region of £3.5 million. No final decision has yet been made on whether to replace these UAVs on a like for like basis but, if we were to do so, replacement costs would be subject to negation with the prime contractor.