Military Intelligence

Nick Harvey
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in each year since 1997; and what plans he has for future acquisition of such assets.

Mr. Quentin Davies
The expenditure on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets since 1997 is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Our future plans include a number of programmes which contribute to intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability. For example, the Helix programme for airborne electronic surveillance; Dabinett for management of the direction, processing and dissemination of intelligence and for deep and persistent surveillance; and the Watchkeeper tactical unmanned aerial vehicle system. There are also programmes to invest further in Electronic Warfare systems and surveillance systems such as Sentry E-3D UK Airborne Early Warning capability and the Sea King Mk 7 Airborne Surveillance and Control variant.