§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the benefits of the combined maritime and air exercise in Malaysia carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72846]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the combined maritime and air exercise in Malaysia carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72837]
- (3) how many personnel were deployed on the combined maritime and air exercise in Malaysia carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72970]
- (4) if he will list those countries which had armed forces involved in the combined maritime and air exercises in Malaysia carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [72974]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 1 March 1999]: The Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy (RN) participated in Exercise FLYING FISH 97, which took place in Malaysia as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), between 12–30 April 1997. The RAF deployed 450 personnel specifically to participate in this exercise. In addition, the RN had a number of ships in the area, taking part in Exercise OCEAN WAVE, from which approximately 1,900 personnel participated in Exercise FLYING FISH. The other armed forces participating were from New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore. Exercise FLYING FISH was the first of a new series of multinational tri-service exercises conducted under the auspices of the FPDA. The UK made the largest contribution to the exercise and also provided the command platform from which the exercise was controlled. The exercise improved the operational capability of UK forces which might need in future to deploy to the Asia-Pacific region in support of the FPDA. It also demonstrated the UK's capability to operate and sustain a RAF and RN deployment over large distances from the UK, and our ability to co-operate effectively with our other FPDA partners.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many personnel were deployed on the two desert exercises in Jordan carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72826]
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- (2) what was the cost of the two desert exercises in Jordan carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [72827]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 1 March 1999] Nine hundred and ninety seven UK servicemen were deployed on the two desert exercises conducted in Jordan in September and October 1997. The in-theatre cost of the exercises was £1.7 million, excluding the cost of ammunition and of spares consumed during the exercise which are not readily identifiable.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the benefits of the brigade exercise in Poland carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72832]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the brigade exercise in Poland carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998; [72834]
- (3) what was the cost of the brigade exercise in Poland carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [72973]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 1 March 1999]: Participation in Exercise ULAN EAGLE, which took place at the Drawko-Pomorskie training area in North East Poland in October 1997, was intended to give 20 Armoured Brigade training experience in warfighting at formation level, and to increase the readiness state of Brigade. The exercise is assessed to have achieved its aims. The cost of the exercise was £3.4 million, including movement costs to and from Poland but excluding the cost of ammunition and of spares consumed during the exercise.