Unmanned Air Vehicles

Thursday 24th January 2013 Ministerial Corrections

[Angus Robertson]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many crashes there have been with the Elbit Systems Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in (a) the UK and (b) Afghanistan;

(2) what recent assessment he has made of the training provided to those who fly the Elbit Systems Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

[Official Report, 24 October 2012, Vol. 551, c. 878W.]

Letter of correction from Andrew Robathan:

An error has been identified in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 24 October 2012.

The full answer given was as follows:

[Mr Robathan]

The Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is not flown in the UK nor have there been any crashes in the UK.

Since 2007 there have been 11 Hermes 450 crashes in Afghanistan.

An end-to-end review for army unmanned aerial systems training has recently been conducted which reported at the end of September 2012. As a result, several changes have already been made to unmanned aerial systems training to increase airmanship standards in a number of areas, with further improvements to follow.

The correct answer should have been:

[Mr Robathan]

The Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is not flown in the UK nor have there been any crashes in the UK.

Since 2007 there have been eight Hermes 450 crashes in Afghanistan.

An end-to-end review for army unmanned aerial systems training has recently been conducted which reported at the end of September 2012. As a result, several changes have already been made to unmanned aerial systems training to increase airmanship standards in a number of areas, with further improvements to follow.