From yesterday's Hansard
Seedcorn Initiative
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) how many personnel are taking part in the Seedcorn initiative; what the location is of each; and with what equipment they are training; [81671]
(2) what capabilities are being maintained through the Seedcorn initiative; [81672]
(3) what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the Seedcorn initiative in each of the next five years. [81673]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Seedcorn initiative will sustain the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s capability to operate high level fixed-wing Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and maintain the associated skills of its personnel. Qualified RAF aircrew will be on exchange with a variety of Allied MPA forces, where they will maintain their anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, long-range search and rescue, and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) skills.
The estimated cost of the initiative on average is £2.4 million per year for the next five years; this includes salary and allowances.
Retaining skills and MPA knowledge is vital if the United Kingdom is to be in a position to regenerate our own MPA capability at some point in the future.
The number and location of personnel and equipment to be used is as follows:
Location
Aircraft
Number of personnel
Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force Greenwood
CP-140 Aurora
7
New Zealand
Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Whenuapai
P-3K Orion/P-3K2 Orion
5
Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea
Beech King Air B200
1
Australia
Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh
AP-3C Orion
4
United States
Naval Air Station Norfolk
Non-flying appointment related to maritime operational staff duties.
1
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
P3C Orion
2
Additionally, discussions are ongoing with the US Navy on an exchange initiative for fully qualified RAF aircrew to support the US P-8A Poseidon programme.