The Integrated Review settlement has enabled the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to build upon previous research and development programmes to explore hypersonic technologies.

The MOD is working closely with AUKUS partners to accelerate development of advanced hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities to meet current and future threats.

I can confirm that this Department is fully engaged with industry, allies and partners to ensure that all munitions stocks granted in kind to the armed forces of Ukraine are replaced as expeditiously as possible. In tandem, further stocks of such weapons already held by the UK but maintained at a lower state of readiness are being rapidly refurbished to add to the operational stockpile. Both processes are ongoing and, for obvious reasons of operational security, it would be inappropriate to discuss timelines or numbers at this stage.

The bulk of the savings relate to the fact that notwithstanding the Department’s significant confidence in Brimstone and its ongoing development, the decision was taken to field the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile onto Apache. This decision expedited a solution for a capability gap faster than could be achieved through the Brimstone 3 option.

The scheduled delivery dates for METEOR and SPEAR 3 have been delayed owing to prioritisation in the overall F-35 development programme, managed by the US led F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). SPEAR 1 (Paveway 4) has already been integrated on UK F-35B Lightning aircraft.

The scheduled delivery dates for METEOR and SPEAR 3 have been delayed owing to prioritisation in the overall F-35 development programme, managed by the US led F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). SPEAR 1 (Paveway 4) has already been integrated on UK F-35B Lightning aircraft.

Defence endorsed the requirement for an Electronic Warfare variant missile. We have completed a Technology Demonstration Programme on this capability with our industry partners and funding for the next stage of development has been assessed.

The first initiative under AUKUS is collaboration on future nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. A trilateral 18-month programme of work is underway to identify the optimum way to deliver this new capability to the Royal Australian Navy, so it is too early to comment on what conventional armaments the future submarines may carry. However, Australia has been clear that it does not – and will not – seek nuclear weapons.

The UK has several Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems and counter-missile capabilities for the Force Protection of UK personnel across the different domains of air, maritime and land. Whilst we are unable to comment specifically on the number and nature of the capabilities deployed for reasons of sensitivity and Force Protection, we can confirm they are all built around an ability to Detect, Track, Identify and Defeat drones operating with hostile intent in the vicinity of UK personnel and critical assets. Additionally, the Sky Sabre missile provides enduring, all weather, ground-based air defence; this will form the baseline for the future medium-range air defence capability and is being developed by the Army. In the maritime domain existing capabilities fitted to ships, such as short-range gun systems, as well as the Phalanx Close-In Weapons System and the Sea Ceptor and Sea Viper missiles, offer effective defence against medium and large drones and long-range missiles.

The Ministry of Defence has not yet committed to a stockpile purchase of Joint Air to Ground Missiles. Any future procurement will be through a new Foreign Military Sales mechanism with the US Government.

We continue to scope options for the Royal Navy's future offensive capabilities, alongside wider lethality requirements. We are committed to delivering a new surface to surface guided weapon that will allow us to deliver on the commitments outlined in the Integrated Review. No final decisions have yet been made.

The declaration of the Martlet Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in October 2021 was made following a review of the project to confirm that the system was suitable for service, supportable, and can be deployed from Royal Navy warships to provide a credible deterrence against small surface targets. The system is currently deployed with the HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group and a successful in-service firing from a Wildcat helicopter on that deployment was made prior to IOC being declared.

Programme Gladiator, the RAF's contribution to the Defence Operational Training Capability (DOTC), will integrate the E-3D Rearcrew Trainer (RCT) from Mar 2022 to provide a transitional capability to E-7A Wedgetail, the Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer (JFST) in spring 2023, the Typhoon Future Synthetic Trainer (TFST) in autumn 2023 and UK F-35B Lightning in 2024.

Following our recent announcement of further investment in Gladiator, work is underway to formalise integration of additional training systems including E-7A Wedgetail, scheduled for spring 2026, as well as Airseeker, Poseidon, Protector, Crowsnest, Guardian and the Maritime Composite Training System (MTCS) over the 2023-2026 timeframe.

While AH-64E Apache and Land Ceptor/Sky Sabre will be computer-generated in the Gladiator Synthetic environment from Initial Operating Capability, there are no funded plans to integrate their respective simulator synthetic training systems; however, options to further expand Gladiator continue to be explored.

Elements of the Sea Ceptor weapon system, including the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), will be integrated into the Sea Viper (SV) weapon system on all six Type 45 Destroyers. On current plans, the first ship is expected to achieve SV-CAMM Initial Operating Capability by early 2027 with the whole fleet rollout completed by the end of 2032. The programme is dependent on the availability of ships to receive the upgrade, balanced against the Royal Navy's standing and future operational commitments.

There are currently no plans to fit a cruise missile capability to Type 45 destroyers.

The Royal Navy has an effective submarine launch cruise missile capability. On a routine basis, we will continue to assess the utility and need for surface-launched cruise missiles.

We continue to scope options for the Royal Navy’s next surface to surface guided weapon system, alongside wider lethality requirements, to allow us to deliver on the commitments outlined in the Integrated Review. No final decisions have yet been made.

An Invitation to Tender for a Surface to Surface Guided Weapon system has not yet been released. We continue to scope options for the Royal Navy’s next surface to surface guided weapon system, alongside wider lethality requirements, to allow us to deliver on the commitments outlined in the Integrated Review. No final decisions have yet been made.

I assume that the right hon. Member is referring to Storm Shadow missiles.

The Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13 reported a total constructive loss of £173.1 million resulting from a reduction in the stockpile of Storm Shadow missiles as an advance notification from 2011-12. This reflected the original decision to dispose of a number of missiles. However, this decision was subsequently reversed, and these missiles were never physically disposed of. No constructive loss is therefore deemed to have occurred.

The MOD Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13 can be accessed via the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222874/MOD_AR13_clean.pdf

The estimated costs of integrating ASRAAM, Paveway IV and SPEAR Cap 3 weapons onto the F-35 Lightning are as follows: ASRAAM: £47 million, Paveway IV: £103 million, SPEAR Cap 3: £170 million.

As the procurement of a Surface-to-Surface Guided Weapon had not yet reached the stage of issuing Invitation to Tender or Invitation to Negotiate at the point that application of the Social Value Model became mandated. The procurement team will consider what Social Value criteria to include when the competition enters its next stage.

The Future Cruise/ Anti-Ship Weapon Programme is due to complete Concept Phase activity in July 2021. The Concept Phase has been focussed on conducting in depth operational analysis, technical studies and initial design activity to refine user requirements and better understand the options available to MOD to meet these. The Concept Phase findings forms part of the Programme's Outline Business Case for Ministerial consideration.