§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many exercises involving tactical air transport have been(a) cancelled and (b) reduced over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [15229]
§ Mr. IngramSince 1 April 2000 when records on the cancellation of exercises involving the tactical air transport element began, 10 exercises have been cancelled. Records were not maintained before this date. The cancellation of these exercises has had no impact on our ability to conduct operations. Records of exercise reduction are not maintained.
§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military exercises that have been cancelled in the last 24 months together with the reason for cancellation. [14470]
§ Mr. IngramThe table covers those exercises from the Ministry of Defence's Defence Exercise Programme (which lists some 350 exercises each year), the exercise programmes of the Front Line Commands, the Permanent Joint HQ and the Defence Logistic Organisation HQ which have been cancelled in the last 24 months. It does not include unit-organised exercises, details of which are not held centrally and which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Exercise name Dates Location Reason for cancellation (a) (b) (c) (d) Spirochaete 8–26 October 2001 UK UK assets withdrawn and re-programmed to another exercise Highport 10 May 2001 Scotland Foot and mouth disease restrictions Lonestar 31 May 2001 Scotland Foot and mouth disease restrictions Lion Sun 15/99 October/November 1999 Cyprus Lack of funding Ferro Ariete/Iron Ram November 1999 UK/Italy Operational commitments (Kosovo) Cossak Steppe November 1999 Poland Operational commitments (Kosovo) Winged Star December 1999 UK Operational commitments (Kosovo) Gobi Dust November 1999 USA Operational commitments (Kosovo) Druids Dance 8/99 November/December 1999 UK Operational commitments (Kosovo) Rhino Charge 6–22 January 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Snow Shoe January-March 2000 Canada To reduce unit commitment Thor/Odin Two 2-week reciprocal exercises March-December 2000 Denmark Cancelled by Host Nation Ferro Ariete/Iron Ram March 2000 UK/Italy Operational commitments (Kosovo) Marble Tor 2/00 29 April-13 May 2000 Gibraltar RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Ponte Vehio 00 Two weeks April-November 2000 Italy Cancelled by Host Nation Asterix Sapper Two weeks April-November 2000 France Cancelled by Host Nation Gaulish Star 2/00 May 2000 France Operational commitments (Kosovo) Pond Jump West 2/00 11 July-23 August 2000 Canada Operational commitments (Kosovo) Lion Sun 03/01 4 February-4 March 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Lion Sun 3/01 5 February-5 March 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Ponte Vecchio/Tower Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation Bridge 00 Ponte Vecchio/Tower Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation Bridge 01 Iron Ram/Ferro Arriete 01 Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation Roman Eagle 01 Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation Arrcade Guard March 2001 GE Foot and mouth disease restrictions Adventure Express 01 March 2001 Albania Cancelled due to concerns over force protection Swabian Crusade 12–20 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Premier Link 19 March-1 April 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Thor/Odin Two reciprocal exercises March-December 2001 Denmark UK assets withdrawn and re-programmed to another exercise Arrcade Guard 01 18–30 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Artful Image 12–16 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Gobidust/Steerspike n/a USA Cancelled by host nation Pacific Kukuri 1/01 2 April-7 May 2001 Hawaii Cancelled by host nation Cobb Ring 1–23 April 2001 USA RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Cygnet Vine April/May 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Medicine Man 1 22 April-16 May 2001 Canada Operational commitments (Bosnia) Rhino Charge April 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Ardent Ground 01 15 April-18 May 2001 Poland Cancelled by host nation Druids Dance 3/01 14 May-3 June 2001 UK Foot and mouth disease restrictions Active Improvement 7–18 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Cygnet Virgin May/June 2001 British Virgin Islands RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Gaulish 3 21 May-3 June 2001 France Foot and mouth disease restrictions Asterix 3 21 May-3 June 2001 France Foot and mouth disease restrictions Pondjump West 1/01 30 May-11 July 2001 Canada Operational commitments (Kosovo) Gloworm/Rattlesnake 9–23 June 2001 USA Foot and mouth disease restrictions Mulberry Tree/Prickly 2–15 June 2001 USA Foot and mouth disease restrictions Pear Orient Express 1/02 30 June-13 July 2001 Belgium Foot and mouth disease restrictions Paper Chase 19–30 July 2001 Germany Cancelled by host nation Rhino Spear 01 1–15 July 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Orient Express 2/02 14–28 July 2001 Belgium Foot and mouth disease restrictions Lion Sun 10/01 23 July-20 August 2001 Cyprus Operational commitments (Bosnia) Asterix 4 July 2001 France Cancelled by host nation Lion Sun 12/01 20 August-17 September 2001 Cyprus Operational commitments (Bosnia) Wet Gap 1–15 October 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions Britannia Way/Iberian 15–26 October 2001 Spain Cancelled by host nation Focus 01 Hard Flint 13 May-8 June 2000 Canada Operational commitments (Sierra Leone) Collective Training 00 27 September-5 October 2000 UK National fuel crisis-uncertainty of impact on fuel reserves prevented deploying forces to exercise area
Exercise name Dates Location Reason for cancellation (a) (b) (c) (d) Snow Falcon 25 September-6 October 2000 Norway Operational commitments (Sierra Leone) Jagged Corse 16–27 October 2000 Corsica Operational commitments (Sierra Leone) Sqn Bilat 5/00 30 October-3 November 2000 Slovakia Operational commitments (Sierra Leone) Ample Train March 2001 Europe RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking Collective Training 01 12–24 May 2001 UK Foot and mouth disease restrictions Chef de Mission 24 September-5 October 2001 France Operational commitments (Veritas)