Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether plans have been developed and exercised to use the new Merlin Mk2 helicopters to fill the reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare gap in the North-west Approaches, and the Greenland, Iceland and United Kingdom gaps, left by cancellation of the Nimrod programme.
Merlin Mk2 Helicopters have been utilised in support of exercises and operations and remain at readiness to do so.
A decision on whether to take further steps to mitigate the maritime surveillance capability gap will be part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.