§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Army's original inventory was of Phoenix UAVs; what the current inventory is; and what plans he has to procure(a) further Phoenix UAVs and (b) next generation UAV systems for the armed forces. [125704]
§ Mr. SpellarNine complete Pheonix systems with 198 Air Vehicle Taxis (ACTs) and 198 Air Vehicle Pods (AVPs) were originally purchased for the Army. Currently the Army has nine systems, 177 AVTs and 182 AVPs. There is currently no plan to procure further Pheonix AVTs or AVPs. We propose to let contracts in the near future to examine possible solutions for delivering the future tactical UAV capability.
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purchase cost is of each of the Army's Phoenix UAVs; how many Phoenix UAVs were lost in operations during the Kosovo campaign; when the Phoenix UAVs entered into(a) trials and (b) operational service with the Army; and how many Phoenix UAVs have been lost since they have been in operational service. [125703]
§ Mr. SpellarThe contract for Phoenix UAVs was awarded in 1985 on a firm price basis. The cost of the individual UAVs was £164,000 plus VAT, exclusive of design and development costs.
Ten Phoenix UAVs were lost or destroyed during operations in support of the Kosovo campaign in 1999. A further three UAVs have since been lost during operations in Kosovo in 2000.
Phoenix UAVs entered into trials with the Army in the early nineties. These were completed in July 1997. Phoenix was formally accepted into service in December 1998.
Over 200 missions have been flown in the 18 months since Phoenix entered service. During this period a total of 16 Phoenix UAVs have been lost or destroyed (13 during operations and three in training).
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of(a) Phoenix UAVs used by UK forces and (b) UAVs utilised by other NATO nations during the Kosovo campaign. [125705]
§ Mr. SpellarOperational reports have indicated that Phoenix is effective as a general reconnaissance and surveillance system. Its real-time imagery capability proved of considerable benefit in a wide variety of tasks including campaign analysis and safe surveillance over and beyond suspected mined areas. Detailed assessment of the system is continuing.
33WThe utility and effectiveness of the Phoenix system in 1999 was recognised by the headquarters of KFOR, who asked for the system to return to theatre, which it did in May this year.
It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the effectiveness of equipment used by our Allies.