Philip Hollobone
Main Page: Philip Hollobone (Conservative - Kettering)Department Debates - View all Philip Hollobone's debates with the Ministry of Defence
(13 years, 5 months ago)
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Nick Harvey
As I said in answer to an earlier question, there is no denying that the pace and longevity of operations in Libya put a stress on the fleet. However, the Libyan operation is a high priority, and we will ensure that it has the necessary resources. HMS Liverpool remains on task in the Mediterranean in support of the NATO-led operations. We have plans for her relief in due course but, for operational security reasons, I am not going to say which ship will be involved.
Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)
7. What assessment he has made of the Typhoon and Apache platforms in Operation Ellamy.
Mr Douglas Carswell (Clacton) (Con)
18. What assessment he has made of the performance of Eurofighter Typhoon in Operation Ellamy.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Peter Luff)
Typhoon aircraft and Apache attack helicopters have performed very well in Operation Ellamy, proving their military worth and fulfilling all the operational tasks asked of them. Typhoon, in its first multi-role mission in providing both air defence and ground attack, has demonstrated exceptional levels of survivability and, in its ground attack role, a targeting capability with minimal collateral damage, proving that it is a truly formidable aircraft.
Mr Hollobone
Given that both platforms are being deployed in theatre in roles beyond their original specification, will my hon. Friend please comment in more detail on the ground attack role of the Typhoon, and on the Apache being deployed for the first time at sea?
Peter Luff
The Apache has been on about 20 sorties with no known civilian casualties—an exceptional testimony to that aircraft. Typhoon is performing exceptionally well in Libya. My hon. Friend is right that it was originally conceived as an air defence aircraft; it is now in its first multi-role combat aircraft role, and it is performing superbly. As Wing Commander J Attridge, the operational Typhoon detachment commander said,
“the Typhoon has come of age”
over the skies of Libya and we are seeing the maturation of the RAF’s first multi-role combat fast jet aircraft since world war two. We are all delighted with its performance.