Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the proposed 1,000 new jobs supported by the factories of the future initiative have been already recruited.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The sites for new munitions and energetics factories have not yet been selected. Recruitment to support factory operations will accompany their development. Feasibility studies for energetic material factories are expected to conclude no later than October 2026.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all of the six new munitions and energetics factories sites been identified for the factories of the future initiative.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The sites for new munitions and energetics factories have not yet been selected. Recruitment to support factory operations will accompany their development. Feasibility studies for energetic material factories are expected to conclude no later than October 2026.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 48 of the DIP, where the current capability is on space-based ISR; and what the expected gains are by 2030.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is developing a nationally separable, space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellite constellation and supporting digital infrastructure through Programme ISTARI.
As part of the Programme, MOD has contracted for four Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) satellites, which will operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as follows:
Defence is developing the supporting digital infrastructure through the following investments:
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, when decisions on additional investments into IAMDSOC will be made; and what the deciding factors will be.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.
NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when is the Integrated Air, Space and Missile Defence Operations Centre expected to be integrated.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.
NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, what enhanced AI command and control system IAMDSOC will use.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the growing air and missile threat, the Strategic Defence Review committed to enhance the UK’s homeland air and missile defences, with £790 million of new money for homeland IAMD subsequently announced in the Defence Investment Plan. This investment is focused on improving national air and missile defence Command and Control and Sensing capabilities, to make best use of our existing effectors and air defences. This funding includes investing in a National Air and Space Operations Centre (NASOC which fulfils the Integrated Air and Space Missile Defence Operations Centre (IASMDOC) capability. The NASOC will be critical to coordination of national response to any future air and missile attack.
NASOC funding will commence in the coming years with a view to it providing operational capability in the early 2030s. Whilst specifics cannot be disclosed to ensure protection of national security arrangements, the growing air and missile threat is central to our thinking and potential future investments. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be considered by the NASOC Programme, in support of timely and efficient operational decision making. However, the scale and breadth of any potential AI employment is to be determined.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 49 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published 30 June 2026, whether capabilities will be lost by not proceeding with SKYNET 6 Narrowband Satellite System.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The decision not to proceed with the SKYNET 6 Narrowband Satellite System procurement was taken once it was confirmed that alternative assured and resilient narrowband services will be available to meet future capability requirements.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 50 of his Department's Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, what is the target number of personnel in the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force by 2030.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force (DCEMF) is expected to double in size.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, of the 90,000 cyber-attacks the UK faces on its Defence Systems annually what is the split between state and non-state actors.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Due to operational sensitivities, I am unable to provide a breakdown of the split of cyber-attacks on UK Defence Systems between state and non-state actors.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the life expectancy of SKYNET 6A.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The operational design life of the SKYNET 6A satellite is 15 years.