§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom personnel were involved in the exercises known as Roving Sands; and for what purpose. [4172]
§ Mr. IngramExercise Roving Sands is an annual multinational Air Defence exercise hosted by the US Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, USA, involving UK, Dutch, German and Canadian Air Defence forces. The purpose is to exercise in a joint and combined integrated defence environment as part of a joint forces headquarters. This year, we planned to deploy 264 personnel from 7 Air Defence Brigade to participate in the exercise between 6 June and 1 July. Owing to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK, however, the US Department of Defense asked the UK not to import vehicle or heavy equipment into Texas for the exercise. The UK participation in the exercise Roving Sands 01, therefore, consisted of 22 personnel from 7 Air Defence Brigade deployed to Fort Bliss where they were integrated in the Headquarters of the 31 Air Defence Brigade, US Army.