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UK Air and Missile Defences
27 November 2024
Lead MP
Luke Akehurst
North Durham
Lab
Responding Minister
Maria Eagle
Tags
UkraineDefence
Word Count: 12848
Other Contributors: 11
At a Glance
Luke Akehurst raised concerns about uk air and missile defences in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the Government to urgently address the capability gap in air and missile defences by increasing funding and procurement for systems such as Sky Sabre and Sea Viper. Additionally, I call for greater cooperation with European NATO partners on joint procurement initiatives like DIAMOND and European Sky Shield. I request a meeting with the Minister and her officials to discuss privately the risk posed by the proposed Sunnica solar farm near Lakenheath and Mildenhall airbases.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the inadequacy of UK air and missile defences in light of current global instability. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated the critical need for robust air defence systems, with nearly 12,000 missiles launched against Ukraine since February 2022. The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee's report highlights significant weaknesses in European defences, stating NATO states can provide less than 5% of the necessary air defence capacity. Recent reports also indicate Russia's use of intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missiles and unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles around RAF bases, underscoring the diverse threat landscape. Two airbases in my constituency, Lakenheath and Mildenhall, were recently targeted by drones. The director general of MI5 has warned about state-backed sabotage from Russia's GRU leading to arson and sabotage on British streets. A proposed Sunnica solar and battery farm near these bases includes vulnerable battery energy storage systems that can cause catastrophic fires if sabotaged.
Adam Dance
Lib Dem
Yeovil
Mr Adam Dance thanked the hon. Member for North Durham for securing the debate and expressed support for Leonardo, a key defence industry player in his constituency, as it moves towards supporting UK manufacturing and innovation sectors.
Calvin Bailey
Lab
Leyton and Wanstead
Mr Calvin Bailey highlighted the importance of understanding current defence capabilities and their degradation since the 2010 strategic defence and security review. He emphasised the need for a European-focused approach to security, including enhancing relationships with NATO and other European partners for access to funding and partnerships. Mr Bailey also discussed the deployment of Army units based on threat assessment and the role of Type 45 destroyers in air defence. He called for an honest discussion within the Department about the affordability and sustainability of current operations and stressed the importance of a robust industrial base capable of sustaining military responses.
Chris McDonald
Lab
Stockton North
The hon. Member highlighted the importance of a strong industrial base for national defence, citing examples such as semiconductor and fertiliser plants in his constituency that play critical roles in defence production. He mentioned the need to strengthen capabilities in foundation industries and welcomed Government protections for certain sectors but noted ongoing issues like plant closures due to uncompetitive business environments.
Gregory Campbell
DUP
East Londonderry
My hon. Friend refers to the stock that we require. Hopefully it never needs to be used, but we definitely require it. Does he agree that it would help if the Government were to outline in clear detail how quickly defence spending will get to 2.5%?
Ian Roome
Lib Dem
North Devon
Mr Roome welcomed the Prime Minister's approval of the Tempest project and highlighted the importance of a comprehensive security agreement with the European Union. He expressed concern over the state of procurement in the armed forces, noting that one third of defence contracts were awarded uncompetitively under the previous government. Mr Roome also raised the issue of Systems Engineering and Assessment winning a £135 million contract for defensive countermeasure systems and questioned the lack of clarity on increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
James Cartlidge
Con
South Suffolk
Mr Cartlidge echoed previous speakers' concerns and asked for an update on the use of NINJA and ORCUS systems, highlighting the need for a multi-domain approach to missile defence. He expressed concern about maritime threats from Iran-backed Houthis and suggested accelerating Sea Ceptor Evolution upgrade or considering urgent operational requirements for standard missile 3. Mr Cartlidge also emphasised the importance of directed-energy weapons such as DragonFire and radio frequency kinetic strike systems, and stressed that funding commitments must be met to secure defence capabilities. Asked the Minister why the Government did not act urgently to replenish munitions after announcing significant defence cuts, instead of waiting for the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDR).
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Mr Jim Shannon highlighted the importance of robust air defence, noting Thales's role in providing employment and apprenticeships in Northern Ireland. He mentioned a £176 million MOD contract awarded to Thales for lightweight missiles and praised their contribution to Ukraine's defence efforts.
John Cooper
Con
Dumfries and Galloway
Scotland provides significant defence assets, but there is a hostile environment from the Scottish Government towards companies involved in warfighting capabilities. Senior figures have boasted about limiting funding for large companies that need to ramp up for Ministry of Defence orders.
Kevin Bonavia
Lab
Stevenage
Bonavia highlighted the importance of NATO, Europe, and UK responses to Russian aggression in Ukraine and regional instability in the Middle East. He noted that NATO states can provide less than 5% of the air defence capacity needed for Europe's protection. He praised his constituency's role in missile production and urged the government to increase spending on defence, particularly missile defence capabilities.
Phil Brickell
Lab
Bolton West
Mr Brickell expressed concern about the vulnerability of the UK to advanced missiles, citing Putin's use of hypersonic missiles and emphasising the importance of sovereign capability for missile defences. He highlighted MBDA's employment in his constituency and called for adequate manufacturing capacity within the defence sector.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
He agreed with the Chief of the Defence Staff's recent comment that integrated air and missile defence should be a key area for future investment to address growing global challenges and threats. Enhanced co-operation with NATO and other allies is essential for achieving air and missile defence aims in the UK. The Estonia pact demonstrates that continued alliances enhance our ability to meet procurement challenges and defend against long-range missile threats. The hon. Member intervened, supporting the notion of being at the cutting edge of technology in an increasingly volatile world, and welcomed recent progress on new air defence lasers for RAF pilots.
Government Response
Maria Eagle
Government Response
Congratulated the hon. Friend on obtaining this debate and making a superb contribution, acknowledged concerns raised by local people in Lakenheath and Mildenhall, reiterated the commitment to 2.5% defence spending, highlighted rationalisation of six capabilities to save £150 million over two years and £500 million over five years, emphasised the need for proper consideration of threats ranging from low-cost drones to strategic long-range weapons, noted that aerodromes in the UK are protected under the Air Navigation Order 2016, stressed importance of interoperability with NATO allies through initiatives such as DIAMOND, and highlighted the UK's leading role in supporting Ukraine.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.